Wendy begins today by welcoming readers from Encouragement Today devotions and invites their participation in our discussion. She said that there are about 1800 people, as far as she knows, reading through the Bible this year and all are welcome to still join. She suggested new readers check out http://www.proverbs31.org/ and click on the “Shop P31” link to the left of the page and learn how to purchase a Bible and join us. She emphasized again, that it is not too late to begin.
Wendy thanks the rest of the on-line readers for allowing her the weekend to be with her family. She would love to be teaching every day. This weekends material was so rich. Saturday she filled two pages with valuable information. She is enjoying all the comments so much.
This weekend was fun as Wendy’s cousin was married. The last of 13 grandchildren and her grandmother, who will be 93 in April, has attended every wedding. It was an exciting weekend, but she says now we are back where we should be and that’s meeting face-to-face here this morning.
Wendy is coming to us today from her bonus room in her house and behind her we see a huge chalkboard on the wall where she does educational therapy with her son and also some home-schooling. She’s also sitting in one of her favourite places in the whole house and that is on the floor in front of her Jesus chair. This is the chair she has sat in every day for over 12 years now to have her quiet time. Recently she is more on her knees than in the chair. It’s where she sits and prays for us, our love for one another, our love for the Word and our commitment to the Word. This is a special place.
The main part of today’s teaching made her feel tense as she read through Genesis 30-31. There’s strife and conflict between Laban and Jacob. Already we’ve seen conflict that wasn’t quite as pronounced between Rachel and Leah, which comes up more later, but being married to two sisters would cause conflict. Wendy found it interesting at the beginning of the reading how Jacob was still living under Laban’s house when his children were born. He has already worked off his purchasing, yet he still has to prove he has to get out. Laban would not give up and he was messing with Jacob with the sheep and the goat and the strife and the dotted and the white and causing so much conflict. Now Wendy realizes that this is a dad and granddad, daughters and grandchild, but she says, let the man go or at least give him peace. She just felt so bad for him.
Wendy reflected on the conflict we experience every day. Wendy does not like conflict. She said that there are some people who get into conflict and try to keep it going. Wendy tries to avoid conflict at all cost, sometimes to her detriment. She will do anything to avoid conflict with anyone and tries her best to keep peace with people. If there isn’t peace with someone she does her best to avoid that person just so she doesn’t have to face it. That’s not good either and that’s another lesson. Still, conflict was very real here and Wendy saw a great application for us.
The heading over Genesis 31:51 reads, “Jacob’s Treaty with Laban”. She read verses 51 & 52, “‘See this pile of stones,’ Laban continued, ‘and see this monument I have set between us. They stand between us as witnesses of our vows. I will never pass this pile of stones to harm you, and you must never pass these stones or this monument to harm me.’”
What a great lesson there. Sometimes we just have to draw the line between the conflict, whether we’re the one causing the conflict, like Laban, or we’re on the receiving end of the conflict like Jacob. Sometimes enough is just enough. Build a monument on that issue and move on. Agree to disagree. Agree to draw the line. You won’t cross me and I won’t cross you and let’s try and have peace in our lives. She said that this is not always possible. Both parties must agree on this, but you yourself can decide not to be bothered by the conflict anymore. That’s going to take the power of El Shaddai, God Almighty in us, for us to be able to stay at peace with the situation. Maybe the other person isn’t ready to come to us and not cross the line, but we can draw a line ourselves. We’re not going to be bothered by this. I’m not going to let you steal my joy. Oh my goodness, these are joy stealer moments here. Jacob had a lot of joy stealer moments in these few chapters. Wendy is glad to be able to see Jacob move on and get past this.
Wendy says the main point today is let’s try to live at peace with people. Let’s try to end conflicts. It’s not easy, but maybe today there’s a monument you need to build and just say, “Today Lord, I’m leaving this thing and I’m not going to return or cross over to agitate or aggravate this person or situation anymore and I’m not going to cross this monument or this pile of stones ever again through the power of the Holy Spirit.”
Y’all have a great day!
(All thoughts transcribed from Wendy's blog to aid those whose computers are not capatible to view these videos.)
1 comment:
Wonderful, Joy!This reading today was a little stressful for Jacob and Laban! I'll never look at a pile of rocks again the same way!
I LOVED how you ended this with "y'all"!! You are precious!
Hugs,
Susan
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