THURSDAY, July 16

1 Samuel 20:24-42. David rose from beside the stone heap and prostrated himself with his face to the ground.

Today's readings are full of gossiping, vengeful, hateful, jealous people. In 1 Samuel, a family is ripped apart by the meanness and accusations of father against son. Hatefulness spews in Acts as an "enemy of all righteousness" emerges, and Paul and Barnabas face conspirators trying to portray kind deeds as illegal acts.

I try to avoid people like that. I don't want to turn to the scriptures and find the very same kinds of people throwing swords at each other, saying harsh words, and vowing to destroy one another.

But if I read the scriptures to find out how the wrongfully accused react to such treatment, I find David prostrate, Paul squarely confronting evil, and Jesus continuing to do good despite the evil others do. I pray I can so behave during similar events in my life.

Everyone enjoys peace and loves those who agree with them. But to live peaceably with hard, perverse, ill-tempered, cantankerous people brings great peace and is a most commendable deed. --Thomas à Kempis

PRAY for the Diocese of Hpa-an (Myanmar)

Ps 37:1-18 * 37:19-42; Acts 13:1-12; Mark 2:23-3:6

View the daily Lectionary Readings at Satucket.com.
Or view the Bible passages at Biblegateway.com.

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Who's cantankerous

Jul 16, 2009 at 5:28 am

Written by Michael,

The first thing I thought of when I read the quote from Thomas à Kempis was the political party opposite of mine.
I pray someone there can live with this "cantankerous" person.
God bless us, everyone.

serenity

Jul 16, 2009 at 6:59 am

Written by Andrea,

"God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference." Amen, and may I remember this when confronted by people, places, and things that I would deem evil and want to change.

mother, grandmother, student of mother earth and her people, writer, late-bloomer in the church & loving it!

Jul 16, 2009 at 7:38 pm

Written by Bea,

Be Nice

How comforting to realize that there have been angry, jealous, dishonest populations from the very early days of humankind. How difficult to stay on course with Jesus, to be kind and loving, in spite of such difficult people. The more difficult life becomes, the more we must concentrate on following our Lord's example; to stay focused on what really matters vs how we'd really like to react. Be Nice. Be Good. Be Gracious! Let Jesus' Grace guide your actions, not your knee-jerks. It is not easy; what is easy leads us down a path to darkness. It is difficult, it takes practice and study and all the love and courage God has put into our hearts; to Be Nice, Be Good, Be Gracious in the midst of great difficulty. That path leads us into light. Divine Light. Thank you Lord, for showing us the way.

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