Proverbs 15:17-18 

¹⁷Better a small serving of vegetables with love than a fattened calf with hatred. ¹⁸A hot-tempered person stirs up conflict, but the one who is patient calms a quarrel.

Former President

It was reported that a former president was arrested by international police. Expectantly, his supporters are outraged by the turns of events. They cannot imagine that the former strong leader is prosecuted outside the country.

No matter how good our intention would be, there will be people who may find reason to disagree with us. If they verbally declare their skepticism against us, we may be able to find ways to address their issue. But be careful of people who do not talk too much. Probably, they are planning for regrettable schemes.

Together, let us seriously reflect on what Christ teaches in Luke 6:27-28,

²⁷But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, ²⁸bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.

Particularly, believers listen when Christ teaches. Curious people attended but not everyone was listening to Christ. Some of them may have attended just to meet someone they were interested in or took chances for business opportunities about the matter or just to find something they could gossip on social media.

Are you listening to the Lord? Christ instructed us to love our enemies, do good to those who hate us, bless those who curse us and pray for the those who harm us. These godly commands are the exact opposite of human inclinations. The human instinct is to retaliate against enemies exactly like the bad things they suffered from or worse, to curse and to wish for adversity of enemies.

The enemy tries to expose the weakest part of their enemies. Can you accept that when Christ teaches us to love our enemies, it is great strategy to eliminate the enemy? Reflect 2 King 6:20-23, ²¹When the king of Israel saw them, he asked Elisha, “Shall I kill them, my father? Shall I kill them?” ²²“Do not kill them,” he answered. “Would you kill those you have captured with your own sword or bow? Set food and water before them so that they may eat and drink and then go back to their master.” ²³ So he prepared a great feast for them, and after they had finished eating and drinking, he sent them away, and they returned to their master. So the bands from Aram stopped raiding Israel’s territory.

The Aramean king sent soldiers to capture Elisha. Elisha prayed and God struck the Aramean soldiers with blindness. Elisha led the Aramean soldiers into the city then prayed that God restore their sight. After the king of Israel listened to Prophet Elisha the Arameans stopped invading the territories of Israel.

Is it good strategy? Someone suggested that the Aramean soldiers warned their king, “Food and wine in Israel were tasteless. It’s not worthy to waste our efforts.” Will your relatives visit you again if you serve tasteless food to them?

1.  Serve

    ¹⁷Better a small serving of vegetables with love than a fattened calf with hatred.

What is attractive of eating outside? Probably, good service and ambiance. Even if food at restaurants looks delicious, if servers are not friendly, customers may not enjoy their food. In some classy restaurants in East Asia, customers can reserve an exclusive dining room just for exclusive group. Customers can have informal gathering and avoid loud disturbance from other customers.

When it says, “Better a small serving of vegetables with love,” it implies that love is an open secret ingredient of delicious food. Customers can taste food prepared with love. They enjoy the food you served even for just simple veggies.

Inexperienced

A young inexperienced leader exposed the inconsistency of the chairman of the board. The chairman invited for a dinner at his home the inexperienced leader and his wife. During the dinner, the inexperienced leader asked the wife of the chairman, “How did you cook this delicious veggies?” The wife explained the process. While they were eating, the chairman cannot hide his frustration and reprimanded the young leader in front of their wives. The young leader silently thought to himself that even if others may salivate the delicious food that the chairman will serve in the future, he will never want to taste it again.

God still allow unpleasant circumstances even when we do what is right and proper before him. When a former president was arrested, social media has erupted. Malicious comments from loyal supporters of politicians are offensive.

Many pastors became political analysts. Do you accept that political hostility exposes spiritual warfare? We are advised in Hebrews 12:1-3, ¹Since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, ²fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. ³Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

There is endless political chaos somewhere that may easily offend anyone. There will always be unreasonable people who may dispute anything. We pray that the Holy Spirit produces patience in us, even if the enemy stir up conflict.

2.  Stir

¹⁸A hot-tempered person stirs up conflict, but the one who is patient calms a quarrel.

When a hot-tempered person stirs up conflict, find ways to avoid it. Angry people may have been victims of their sinful nature. When someone tries to start a conflict, our natural inclination is to be defensive or retaliate. But when the Holy Spirit produces fruit in us, we sense joy, peace and patience. We want to avoid a conflict. Why? It shows that Christ is transforming us more into his image.

Jonathan

After King Saul disobeyed the Lord, Prophet Samuel anointed David as the next king of Israel. The Israelites observed that God made David victorious in all his battles. King Saul became envious and planned to eliminate David. At dinner, King Saul asked why David was absent. Jonathan, the son of King Saul said that David went to observe a sacrifice with his family. King Saul was not convinced.

It narrated in 1 Samuel 20:30-33, ³⁰Saul’s anger flared up at Jonathan and he said to him, “You son of a perverse and rebellious woman! Don’t I know that you have sided with the son of Jesse to your own shame and to the shame of the mother who bore you? ³¹As long as the son of Jesse lives on this earth, neither you nor your kingdom will be established. Now send someone to bring him to me, for he must die!” ³²“Why should he be put to death? What has he done?” Jonathan asked his father. ³³But Saul hurled his spear at him to kill him. Then Jonathan knew that his father intended to kill David.

King Saul was envious of the successes of David. It is human nature to be envious of others. Even siblings are envious of their successful siblings.

God created each person uniquely. Meaning, we can be successful where others may fail. Failure on something should prompt us to explore other things that God designed for us to excel. And as we grow mature spiritually, we can rejoice with those who rejoice, and we can mourn with those who mourn.

Do you believe that God design something for us to excel? Pray to be filled with the Spirit of wisdom and revelation to discern what God reserved for you.

><((‘> … ><((‘> … ><(((“> tmec\2025 <“)))>< … <‘))>< .. <‘))><