When Our Ways Please The Lord

⁷ When a man’s ways please the Lord, He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.

Matthew Henry, in his commentary, offers this on our little Proverb for today:

            “God can turn foes into friends when he pleases. He that has all hearts in his hand has access to men’s spirits and power over them, working insensibly, but irresistibly upon them, can make a man’s enemies to be at peace with him, can change their minds, or force them into a feigned submission. He can slay all enemies, and bring those together that were at the greatest distance from each other.”

Our human nature seems to focus on the outcome, that even our enemies will be at peace with us.  I start to see how nice that would be, that those who have staked themselves against us, would be at peace with us. Relationships can be so difficult, my heart longs for peace on all fronts. I look at this Proverb with hopeful anticipation, that peace can reign no matter the circumstances.

My human nature inquires, “Yes, but what is the catch?  How does this happen?”  The answer is not found in the heart of our enemy, but in our very own heart.   “When a man’s ways please the Lord”, this means that we act with charity and mercy towards our enemies.  We offer the fruits of the Spirit, in abundance. We pray for them and we turn the other cheek.  We don’t repay unkindness with unkindness.  In the upside down, right side up of Kingdom living, we repay their unkindness with love.   In this fame, through the mindset of Christ, our enemies will be at peace with us.

You may be in a situation where you are not in contact with your enemies, or it is unsafe for you to be near them.  I would still offer that our heart still holds the key.  By releasing them, we release ourselves from the chains of bondage.  By allowing Christ into the circumstances, we alter the dimensions of the situation through love.  Moment by moment, day by day, we are released from captivity as we pray for those that have hurt us.

Let’s pray:

Lord thank you for the wisdom that is found in this book.  Thank you for the revelation today that all paths of healing start within me, and aligning myself with You. Help us do this, most impossible, thing.  Help us to act in ways that please you, towards our enemies.  We open up to the possibility of forgiveness and grace, as we release the need to be right and the need for validation and vindication. Lord, we seek to grow more and more into the likeness of You, help us today as we release our enemies from our hearts, into Your grace. Amen