Favor From Above

As we continue in the Following Jesus series, we are exploring the idea of being at peace with those who oppose us. This is no easy task. Let’s invite the presence of the Lord to lead us and speak to our hearts.

Jesus, we know that You bless those who commit to follow Your truth for righteous living. May everyone around me see Your grace, and experience Your love through my words and actions. Amen.

When people’s lives please the Lord, even their enemies are at peace with them.

What comes to mind when you hear the word enemy? An enemy is someone who actively opposes or is openly hostile toward you. I am unaware of anyone like that, but I know people outside my circle of influence who consider me an irritant to their senses. I am at a loss to understand the friction when we are in the same room. Do you know anyone like that? How do you respond to the relational tension? I find myself checking my heart to see if I offended them somehow. If I pass that test, I start imagining ways to make them feel as uncomfortable around me as I am around them.

And then I remember that I am the reason God put today's verse in the Bible.

This scripture should prompt us to do some introspection. Enjoying a life of peace on all sides begins with being at peace with God. His supernatural favor flows through the life that is unobstructed by willful disobedience. How can we be light and salt to this world if we are at odds with the One to whom we bear witness? When did you last take a spiritual inventory to see if anything is coming between you and God?

The Bible is full of examples of God granting peace to those who lived righteously in the face of opposition:

• Joseph was a slave who found favor and peace with Pharoah, his captor.
• Nehemiah was a slave who found favor and peace with his captor, King Artaxerxes.
• Daniel found favor and peace with the Babylonian kings when he was in captivity.

The idea is that through our righteous actions, we are not arming our detractors with arrows to shoot holes in our testimony. When our behavior reflects our commitment to honor God with our lives, He will shut the mouths of the lions around us.

Take some time to meditate on today’s verse, and ask God to reveal your spiritual condition. If this feels intimidating, use the following prompt to get started.

God, I want my life to be pleasing to You. Show me where I fall short of Your righteousness, and what needs to change so nothing is hindering our relationship.

May God grant you peace in every area of your life.