17 Sep, 2009
Right where we ought to be
At 4am last Saturday night the quiet of my neighborhood was abruptly broken by the sound of gunfire - Pop! Pop! Pop! Pop! Pop! My wife and I woke up, startled and fearful for our safety. Dozens of police officers arrived in minutes and began canvassing the neighborhood knocking on doors looking for any clues why someone was drawn to the use of potentially lethal force in the middle of the night. While my wife and I were unscathed by the event physically, my heart was burdened for the rest of the night with the question, "Is it wise for us to keep living in this neighborhood?"
photo courtesy of - usbr.gov
James 3:17-18 (NIV)
"But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness."
What does today's God Story scripture teach us about wisdom?
My wife and I live in a racially and socially diverse neighborhood with a reputation for drug deals, domestic violence, messy evictions, and intoxicated shouting matches in the late hours of the night. In the past we've always recovered from unnerving events in our neighborhood pretty quickly, however this was the first time we've ever heard gunfire in the middle of the night and it shook us up pretty good.
In response to the question, "Is it wise for us to keep living in this neighborhood?", I looked to the Bible for direction. How did the followers of Jesus define wisdom? I think the prefect answer is found from James the brother of Jesus. James says that those who are wise will love peace, be merciful, and will be considerate of those around them. That makes our decision pretty easy - the only "wise" thing to do is to stay in a neighborhood filled with violence and pain and be merciful, considerate, peacemakers. So I guess we are, "right where we ought to be".
- In what troubled areas of your life do you need to make peace, give mercy, or show consideration?
- Are you "right where you ought to be", are you close enough to people in pain to make a difference in their lives?
- Ask a friend if they've ever experienced violence in their neighborhood, families, or friendships.
- Be a peacemaker in a relationship that is struggling or broken.
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