Today’s scripture: Proverbs 21:11-20 (NRSV) (The Message) (KJV) What might God be saying to me?
My thoughts (Cheryl Stonestreet)
In this set of verses, the one proverb that sticks out at me is verse 19:
It is better to live in a desert land than with a contentious and fretful wife.
All kidding aside, for me, this is probably one of the truest phrases in the Bible. A tense home is not worth going home to. (Been there, done that, ain’t doin’ it again!)
Oddly, the Bible doesn’t have a whole lot of advice on how to keep a peaceful home. We’re told to honor our parents, and discipline our kids. We’re told to treat our neighbors the way we want to be treated. We are taught to love and respect our fellow believers. And, we’re given an assorted collection of suggestions on how to deal with our enemies. But, there’s not much there when it comes to our most intimate human relationship. I can surmise many theories for this, but that isn’t what I want to write about. I want to write about having a home worth going to.
Even though every relationship is different, I like to look to other couples who have what I want. I call it “sticking with the winners.” To me, the winners are the couples who love each other in their own way, and show each other regularly. They are a team. They have each other’s back. They allow their partner their differences, but are still true to themselves. I could go on and on. But that’s my list.
What’s yours? What attributes does your relationship need to keep peace in your home? Who are your winners? And if you are looking for a relationship, write down what you hope to find. When you do find someone you want to get serious with, pull out your list. If you don’t see what’s on your list, keep Proverbs 21:19 in mind. After all, if you can’t go home, where are you going to go?
Prayer for the day: Let me be the kind of partner that mine wants to come home to. Help me to remember, peace in our home starts with me. Help us to become winners.
We encourage you to include a time of prayer with this reading. If you need a place to get started, consider the suggestions on the How to Pray page.