A word of reminder for today’s brief devotional thought—Proverbs are wise sayings that are generally true; however, they are not ironclad guarantees. Men and women are not robots; God created us as free will agents and gave each of us the opportunity and responsibility of making life choices.
Today’s proverb, Proverbs 16:7, illustrates the point that proverbs are not unconditional guarantees.
Proverbs 16:7 – “When a man’s ways [roads, courses, journey] please [delight; favor; satisfy] the LORD, He maketh even his enemies [adversary] to be at peace [make a covenant of peace] with him.”
A man who follows the Lord, makes His Word a lamp to his feet and a light to his path (Psalm 119:105), is a peace-loving man. Solomon taught his son that God’s people are generally at peace with their enemy when their ways delight Him.
We know that Proverbs 16:7 is generally true—when God’s people live righteously they are less apt to provoke an enemy to confrontation; however, even the Lord’s earthly ministry proved a perfect walk before God does not come with a guaranteed outcome of peace. Christ taught the disciples to expect, not peace, but the scorn of the world.
John 15:18-19 – “If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. 19 If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.”
One of the characteristics of the last days is that men will be “trucebreakers”- irreconcilable, manifesting an angry spirit that will not be appeased (2 Timothy 3:3). The bent of many sinners is exactly that—they are troublemakers and provocateurs; their troubled soul is agitated and bitterness rules their heart and emotions. Men and women of this sort are not pursuers of peace and will reject the garland of peace when the righteous offer it.
Those who love the Lord are at peace with God because of the blood Christ shed for our sins on the cross (Romans 3:23-24). Having the peace and joy of forgiveness, it is the heart of a Christian to extend the same to others (Ephesians 4:32).
Copyright 2014 – Travis D. Smith
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