How Good and How Pleasant

A picture of unity
Mary Vee, Ashley Clark, Pepper Basham
Writers Alley friends

There are those moments, when the folks around us do not get along.

It may be a family squabble, coworkers disagreeing, volunteers clash. Sigh

Even more distressing is when we jump on the bandwagon and escalate the issue. My heart breaks when I cozy up to the problem like king Ahab in the Old Testament, instead of pulling away and praying as did king Hezekiah, king Jehoshophat, or king David. I really don't want to grumble or add to the issue, but I do.

Sigh.

And it is so difficult to simply say "I'm sorry" or to walk away.

I think writers are inspired to write specific themes because that is the very issue they are experiencing or need to address in their own lives.

For me, the manuscript I completed and pitched at the ACFW conference has this theme:

How good and how pleasant it is for the brethren to dwell together in unity. Psalm 133:1

When I am out in public, God has helped me learn to use proactive skills to diffuse situations before I foolishly leap onto the bandwagon. But after I leave, my heart replays the scenario and it aches. I grumble and rehash words in the privacy of my home. But that isn't right either.

And so, for today, I pray that you and I will only see the beauty in the people God has made living in our world. That any grumbling words slip away, frowns and squints morph into smiles and twinkles, complaints fade to concerns, anger and frustration reveal themselves as cries for help and love, and our hearts will be overflowing with the perfect love that God has given us.

Wait! Don't swing the pendulum. This does not mean that others have carte blanche to stomp on our spirits, take advantage of us, or squash our good deeds. Stand up for your testimony. Stand strong. And this, too, will help to calm the angries in others.

You are a treasure, called by God, to bring unity to your piece of the world.

Blessings on your day.