“A hot-tempered person stirs up conflict, but the one who is patient calms a quarrel.”
– Proverbs 15:18 (NIV)
Daily Meditation: Proverbs 15, James 1:19-20
The anger and hurt were very real. The older sister, hurt by the younger sister, was battling betrayal and disappointment. Then the mother stepped in and made things even worse by ridiculing the older sister. The bridge of relationship between the two sisters was dry, weak, and ready to burn. One match was all it would take. All the past could be burned up in an instant… but rather than igniting the fire, the older sister blew out her own match.
She chose to pray, forgive, and patiently work it out, for “the one who is patient calms a quarrel;” and that is precisely what she did. Yes, in the middle of the fight, the older sister had every right to set that bridge on fire and watch it burn. She was justified, and her mother had spitefully jumped into the thick of things, slinging lies around like it was a food fight.
But since the older sister made the counterintuitive choice to put away the matches, slowly, bit by bit, things improved. The younger sister grew up and became a mother, and today the two sisters are good friends.
Though it may be very tempting, don’t light the bridge on fire. Decide to blow out the match. Patiently, do all you can to spray the dry bridge with water. In time, it will become an amazing architectural wonder that will serve you well.
“Patience is not simply the ability to wait – it’s how we behave while we’re waiting.”
– Joyce Meyer
Burning a bridge almost always creates a bigger mess that requires more work later. But with God’s help, we can wisely and patiently navigate painful situations. Be strong, be wise, and live in a way that makes him proud.
Let’s let 2019 be the year we grow closer to the Lord and become the fearless, strong, and faithful woman we are meant to be in Him! In Be Fearless, Julie Clinton provides a scripturally-sound guide for finding freedom, purpose, joy… and fearlessness. Be Fearless is now available in our store! https://www.aacc.net/product/be-fearless/ Consider working through Be Fearless with another extraordinary woman or group this year!
Julie Clinton, MAd, MBA, is president of Extraordinary Women and host of EWomen conferences all across America. She is the author of several books including A Woman’s Path to Emotional Freedom, 10 Things You Aren’t Telling Him, and Extraordinary Women. She is passionate about seeing women live out their dreams by finding their freedom in Christ. Julie and her husband, Tim, live in Virginia with their children, Megan and Zach.