Wars can be prevented by confronting conflict when it’s merely a discomfort.
Genesis 26:27-29
Have you ever tried to get off an escalator?
If so, you know that it’s much easier to do near the bottom than it is the top.
The same goes for fighting.
Once you start one, it’s hard to stop.
In today’s Tiny Words. Big Life. Bible verses, we find the account of Isaac, son of Abraham, and his dealings with Abimelek, the King of the Philistines.
The Lord appeared to Isaac and told him to stay in the land where he was because there was famine in Egypt. God told Isaac that He will bless him and his descendants, as He had done his father, Abraham.
So far, so good.
But Isaac does something stupid…
Out of fear that the Philistine men would kill him to take his beautiful wife, Rebekah, Isaac tells them that she is his sister, not his wife.
The seeds of conflict are planted.
Soon, Abimelek saw Isaac caressing Rebekah and knew that he had lied to him.
This is where the Bible story gets interesting.
Rather than attack Isaac, as you might expect that he would, Abimelek went to Isaac in an attempt to talk things through. He said, “What is this you have done to us? One of the men might well have slept with your wife, and you would have brought guilt upon us.”
Abimelek showed great patience and wisdom in trying to prevent a conflict that could have escalated into war. He protected both his men and his kingdom.
Of course, God’s promise to Isaac was kept as well, as they always are. Isaac and his descendants were blessed and protected as they lived throughout the land.
The Tiny Words. Big Life. takeaway is this: Pray to God for wisdom and courage to confront divisive issues in your relationships. Don’t let conflict fester within your spirit and the other person. Pray to receive and deliver healing words that allow both parties to accept a truce and move forward.
And to those with a quick temper who enjoy confrontation, pray for a calm spirit and keep walking… right on past the escalator.
Take the stairs instead…
Genesis 26:27-29
27 Isaac asked them, “Why have you come to me, since you were hostile to me and sent me away?”
28 They answered, “We saw clearly that the Lord was with you; so we said, ‘There ought to be a sworn agreement between us’—between us and you. Let us make a treaty with you 29 that you will do us no harm, just as we did not harm you but always treated you well and sent you away peacefully. And now you are blessed by the Lord.”