Author: revheff

BEAST OR BEAUTY?

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Taming Anger by Self-Restraint


My preparation for a lifetime of pastoral ministry spanned some fifteen years of formal education. Three earned degrees profited me in many ways. But their value paled in comparison to lessons gained over greater time in the school of God’s providence. Ecclesiastes 7:14 sums up the curriculum: In the day of prosperity be joyful, and in the day of adversity consider: God has made the one as well as the other, so that man may not find out anything that will be after him. Days of adversity—hard providence—make particularly good tutors for valuable lessons in character development.

In my last post Schlump or Sage, I promised next to visit 1 Samuel 24-26 for insight on how God works in this way. (Please click there to read those chapters.) They form a unit where we find David—heir apparent to Israel’s throne—with God in the school of hard providence. He continually escaped King Saul’s bloodthirsty wrath on the run in the wilderness of Judah. Chapter 24 records a dramatic cave encounter where David nearly capitalized on Saul’s vulnerability—going even so far as to cut off a corner of his robe—symbolic of his kingship. But conscience-stricken he stopped short: “The LORD forbid that I should do this thing to my lord, the LORD’s anointed, to put out my hand against him, seeing he is the LORD’s anointed.” Lesson learned: not my prerogative, God’s. Wait for his timing. Similar training awaits David with Saul again in chapter 26:

9 But David said to Abishai, “Do not destroy him, for who can put out his hand against the Lord’s anointed and be guiltless?” 10 And David said, “As the Lord lives, the Lord will strike him, or his day will come to die, or he will go down into battle and perish. 11 The Lord forbid that I should put out my hand against the Lord’s anointed.

David feared God to disobey Leviticus 19:18: You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against the sons of your own people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the LORD. He gets the wisdom of Proverbs 20:22: Do not say, “I will repay evil”; wait for the LORD, and he will deliver you.

At first blush, chapter 25 seems out of place. Saul shows up just once in the narrative. A different cast of characters join the story. What’s this mess with moron Nabal and rockstar Abigail all about? THE SAME LESSON! Beware the evil of bloodguilt. Check out David’s bottom line in v. 32:

32 And David said to Abigail, “Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, who sent you this day to meet me! 33 Blessed be your discretion, and blessed be you, who have kept me this day from bloodguilt and from working salvation with my own hand! 34 For as surely as the Lord, the God of Israel, lives, who has restrained me from hurting you, unless you had hurried and come to meet me, truly by morning there had not been left to Nabal so much as one male.”

A lesson so important as this to the man after God’s own heart warrants three long chapters to drive it home. Avoid shedding blood not yours to spill. Refuse the temptation to take matters best left up to God into your own hands. Learn to tame rage by cultivating self-restraint.

Here again is the point: The Lord uses trials like conflict to grow us in the virtues of self-restraint and waiting on Him. God uses four things to shape David’s character in this conflict: a great loss, a harsh offense, a wise woman, and a just end.

A great loss (1). The text opens on an ominous note: Now Samuel died. One commentary notes: Since the days of Moses and Joshua, no man had arisen to whom the covenant nation owed so much as to Samuel, who has been justly called the reformer and restorer of the theocracy. Samuel. Last of the judges, first of the prophets. A nation mourns. Most importantly—this friend, mentor, advisor, and guide to David whom he anointed in chapter 16 is gone. Puritan Matthew Henry noted: The loss is the more grievous at this juncture when Saul has grown so outrageous and David is driven from his country; never more need of Samuel than now, yet now he is removed.

Saul had acknowledged David’s right to the throne (24:20), but David—leery of his adversary—still retreated to his stronghold (22). Samuel’s death prompts an even deeper flight south. David was likely unnerved by the development, perhaps even fearful about renewed madness from Saul. Take note. Loss can make you vulnerable. It can set you up for unbelief and leave you off your guard for temptation. God’s man would need to learn the lesson driven home multiple times to Joshua after the death of his mentor and spiritual giant, Moses: Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go (Joshua 1:9). In adversity, consider. God makes it to transform us more and more into the likeness of Jesus.

A harsh offense (2-13). David’s request for provisions for his band of brothers smacks to 21st century readers of running a protection racket. No way. Festival times like sheep-shearing meant lavish celebration and deep-pockets Nabal partied like royalty (36). Ancient Eastern cultural sentiment regarded generous hospitality a virtue even without the kind of guardian services David’s men provided from enemy brigands that the household staff called “a wall to us night and day” (16). And the petition by the ten emissaries represented David peaceably, respectfully, and perhaps even professionally since this may have been a kind of invitation to an ongoing contractual arrangement.

Nabal doesn’t simply decline the request for aid; he insults the Lord’s anointed with utter contempt. Verse 10: And Nabal answered David’s servants, “Who is David? Who is the son of Jesse? There are many servants these days who are breaking away from their masters.  Don’t miss this. Nabal is Saul’s alter ego—a God-ordained surrogate stand-in. He even sounds like Saul—this son of Jesse. In Saul David duels with a man corrupted by power; in Nabal he feuds with a soul enslaved by wealth (11). Providence tests David’s heart as to what rules it through temptation triggered by both enemies in these 3 chapters. He passes with flying colors in 24 and 26 but nearly flunks fatally here in 25. Verse 13 says it all:

And David said to his men, “Every man strap on his sword!” And every man of them strapped on his sword. David also strapped on his sword. And about four hundred men went up after David, while two hundred remained with the baggage. Verses 21-22 further reveal just how hijacked by rage David had become: Now David had said, “Surely in vain have I guarded all that this fellow has in the wilderness, so that nothing was missed of all that belonged to him, and he has returned me evil for good. God do so to the enemies of David and more also, if by morning I leave so much as one male of all who belong to him.”

Yikes! Who is this David and what has become of the one in 24? Matthew Henry again: If one vexation seems to be over, we must not be secure; a storm may arise from some other point. What you do with and how you react to an egregious personal offense that threatens to trigger an emotional, verbal, text-FB-email, voicemail, and/or face to face murder-in-the-heart rampage says a whole lot about who’s on the throne of your heart at any given moment—the flesh or the Spirit. Are you beast or beauty? The Lord must teach his servant the wisdom of Proverbs 16:32: Whoever is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city. David acts like Saul here; he desperately needs a “David” to intercept a pending disaster of his own doing which would cost him the throne. The Lord uses trials like conflict to grow us in the virtues of self-restraint and waiting on Him.


A wise woman (14-35). Enter Abagail. How Nabal landed this Proverbs 31 jewel defies imagination! She is everything in discretion and beauty that her pitbull beast of a husband is not. Tipped off by providential info from a servant about the impending disaster, she intervenes on behalf of her worthless husband. She navigates a masterful mediation that saves the day. She models Matthew 5:9 blessed-are-the-peacemakers skill—she is swift, decisive, generous, courageous, respectful, responsible, repentant, looking out for other’s interests, God-centered, and confident.

Let’s zero in on just one aspect of this the longest recorded speech by a woman in the Old Testament. Notice the first words out of her mouth face-down before David in v. 24. On me alone, my lord, be the guilt. She took responsibility. Mine’s the blame. She stood in the gap—ultimately averting David’s wrath. Nana Dolce, in a TGC blog post, helps us see that we have here more than a just-be-like wise, masterfully persuasive Abigail:

In Abigail we find something more stunning: a glimpse of the wise Mediator who charged forward to face wrath on behalf of foolish sinners—Jesus. This Mediator offered not just wisdom but his own life: “For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—but . . . while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. . . . We have now been justified by his blood, [therefore] much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God” (Rom. 5:7–9). To miss the shadow of the gospel in Abigail’s narrative is to miss the Mediator who turned away God’s wrath to reconcile us to the Father in the biggest story ever told. God brings us conflict as an assignment to help us grow in Christ-likeness through him who bore the wrath for sins like vengeful anger.

A just end (36-44). Abigail’s report to sobered-up Nabal about her actions proves too much for him. Verse 37: his heart died within him, and he became as a stone. Stroke? Heart attack? Not sure. But the writer leaves no doubt about the outcome in v. 38: And about ten days later the LORD struck Nabal, and he died. David’s words in v. 39 reveal a huge I-get-it:

When David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, “Blessed be the LORD who has avenged the insult I received at the hand of Nabal, and has kept back his servant from wrongdoing. The LORD has returned the evil of Nabal on his own head.” Then David sent and spoke to Abigail, to take her as his wife.

Have you learned this Romans 12:19 lesson? Do not avenge yourselves, beloved, but leave room for God’s wrath. For it is written: “Vengeance is Mine; I will repay, says the Lord.” God is not mocked. Whatever we sow, we reap. David passed the anger test here thanks to Abigail’s extraordinary help. But the rest of the text hints that he failed to apply the principle of self-restraint and disciplined waiting in another area of testing: the temptation to lust.

He multiplied wives. He began the “taking” Samuel warned that kings would do (8:11-18). Abigail (42). Ahinoam (43). How can we not see a portent of the Bathsheba disgrace of 2 Samuel 11?  And the spilt blood of her husband Uriah? Bloodguilt haunted David and its consequences plagued his descendants from that point on.

No wonder Jesus taught us to pray in Matthew 6:13: Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. And warned in Matthew 26:14: Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. Genesis 4:7 pertains to us all: Sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is for you, but you must rule over it. How? Rely on the strength of the One who waited on the Father with perfect self-restraint under Satan’s temptations in Matthew 4 and arm yourself with the precious promise of 1 Corinthians 10:13: No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.

J. I. Packer advised: [God] leaves us in a world of sin to be tried, tested, belaboured by troubles that threaten to crush us—in order that we may glorify Him by our patience under suffering, and in order that He may display the riches of His grace and call forth new praises from us as He constantly upholds and delivers us.

And I venture to add, works in us virtues of self-restraint and patient waiting on Him.

SCHLUMP OR SAGE?

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Trading Anger for Self-Restraint

Schlump: someone who is stupidly foolish.

Sage: someone who is profoundly wise.

Difference between the two? How we handle our anger. So warns Proverbs, God’s book of wisdom.

“A fool gives full vent to his spirit, but a wise man quietly holds it back” (29:11).

“The vexation of a fool is known at once, but the prudent ignores an insult” (12:16).

“A hot-tempered man stirs up strife, but he who is slow to anger quiets contention” (15:18).

“Whoever is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city” (16:32).

James, the Proverbs of the Old Testament, adds its “Amen.”

“Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God” (1:19-20).

Permission to ask the obvious but hard question? Where do you rate on the schlump/sage scale? Are you more the hothead, short-tempered, blow-your-fuse type or the cool, calm, collected self-restraint type? Most, I suspect, fall somewhere in between the two extremes.


True confession. Been there done the schlump thing. I tell one sad tale of my struggle with anger in my book. In a particularly challenging season of parenting two young teens, our family sought help from a Christian counselor. When asked to pick an animal which best described their experience of me, their dad, both boys offered the same response: grizzly bear. Get the picture? Busted. Thankfully, I might add.

I certainly don’t profess to qualify as a sage. But with God’s help I have been learning how to move the needle further away from the folly of my rage more to the wisdom of patient self-restraint. And more than not, the Lord has used painful circumstances like that therapy session to work gradual change in my story.

In my next few posts, I plan to camp out on a season in the life of David spanning First Samuel 24-26. There we find the man after God’s own heart enrolled in a training-for-kingship curriculum of God’s design. I call it the school of God’s providence (the holy, wise, and powerful acts by which he preserves and governs all his creatures, and all their actions). Ecclesiastes 7:14 counsels, In the day of prosperity be joyful, and in the day of adversity consider: God has made the one as well as the other, so that man may not find out anything that will be after him. Days of adversity—hard providence—make particularly good tutors for valuable lessons in character development.

I will aim to convince you from the text of this central truth: The Lord uses trials like conflict to grow us in the virtues of self-restraint and waiting on Him. We will look at four things God uses to shape David’s character through a conflict: a great loss, a harsh offense, a wise woman, and a just end.

May the result in us be less shlumpness and more sageness for His glory and our joy.

WHEN CHRISTIANS DISAGREE

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A Review of Dr. Tim Cooper’s Book (Crossway, 2024)


Subtitled “Lessons from the Fractured Relationship of John Owen and Richard Baxter,” this helpful peacemaking resource opens with a spoiler alert: “There is no happy ending.” In these 167 pages, readers face a reality check.

Relationships rupture even among the best of believers. With this summary tale from seventeenth century English Christianity, we force down a bitter pill: two of church history’s giant leaders bickered over decades only to bog down “into a fixed and mutual dislike.”

They went to glory unreconciled. No happy ending indeed. Before reading further or after, you may wish to view here for a biblical account with a happier conclusion:

Or perhaps not entirely sad, if we learn the lessons that a four-hundred-year-past dispute offers. Cooper wrote this book with just that aim in mind. He performs a thorough Owen/Baxter relational postmortem. He records insightful observations and practical conclusions for negotiating our own context of conflict.

You need not fear the theological and historical sections interspersed throughout the book. They provide the necessary contexts for gleaning the peacemaking takeaways to be had. The rewards warrant any effort required by those who feel challenged by such content.

Cooper writes charitably. While leaning hard into Owen and Baxter’s faults for the purposes of this study, he doesn’t fail to remind us of the many virtues and gospel good works on display in their stories—both literarily and pastorally. They were indeed two good men, but like all of us, a mixed bag.

What follows this balanced disclaimer is a dissection of multiple forces—outside their control—which profoundly shaped the men over time. The author argues persuasively for how these things contributed to their relational demise.

He details their experience of a civil war, their geographical settings, their contrasting personalities, their theological debates (argued in print), their initial contact, their eventual in-person collision (ironically in a project designed to foster unity and mend division), and, last but not least, their lingering memory of past hurts that left them both bitter and resentful. Good grief! What a mess. Sound familiar? If so, you need to read this book.

You will find particularly helpful, as did I, the book’s conclusion. Cooper muses over five possibilities which may have resulted in a happy ending, not a sad one. What if there had been a mediator to assist them? What if they had focused more on what held them together and less on what drove them apart? What if they had paid more attention to the many Bible verses which summon us to unity and concord? What if they had manifested greater humility and less pride in their dealings with one another? Ouch! What if they could see what we can see with the advantage of distance and hindsight?

Do we see? If so, Dr. Cooper will have achieved his aim: “In understanding their story, perhaps we can better understand our own narratives. If we can see what they missed, perhaps we will have a much clearer idea of what we may be missing.”

Amen to that.

A TOMB LIKE NONE OTHER

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On this Easter Eve, please notice something about the opening resurrection narrative (John 20:1-10). It doesn’t depict the Lord rising from the dead as it actually happened. Everything in the record follows that miraculous event. The main character by design is not a person but a place—the empty tomb. In keeping with John’s purpose of his gospel (20:30-31), here’s what we must ponder from the first ten verses:

The eyewitness evidence of Jesus’s empty tomb points to His identity as Messiah that we might believe in Him.

That Jesus’s tomb was empty that first Easter morning few dispute. What became of His body is a different matter. Explanations abound attempting to refute the very thing Jesus predicted repeatedly in His earthly ministry: that He would rise again from the dead. John makes his case for the truth of the resurrection starting here: the reality of the empty tomb.

Space in this post does not allow for unpacking significant details in the text to make this a tomb like none other. When it happened—the first day of the week. Whom it involved—a woman, a failure, a beloved. How it transpired—a whole lot of running, and more importantly, different kinds of seeing taking place. Let me close with four reasons the empty tomb matters as evidence of Jesus’s resurrection.

One, there is no lack of evidence of the resurrection. John makes us grapple with the reality of the empty tomb and asks the all-important question: do you see? If you do, believe today. If not yet, keep on “seeing” until you do.

Two, the resurrection of Jesus fulfills Old Testament prophecy. Speaking about the experience of Peter and John in the tomb, the writer adds this: “for as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that he must rise from the dead” (v. 9). That had to wait until the Lord opens their eyes in His appearances to them and gave them the Holy Spirit. We know from Acts that the apostles eventually got this point and preached it from the Old Testament. Read Acts 2:22ff and you will see Peter quote from Psalm 16:8-11 just to cite only one reference.

Three, Jesus was raised bodily, the same but different. It was not just Jesus’s influence or spirit that prevailed after His death. His body was not there. And it never was produced—one of the most stubborn and striking facts that His enemies never have been able to explain. But it was a resurrected body. Incorruptible as the first fruits (1 Corinthians 15:23). That ties in closely to the last reason this matters.

Four, all Christians will rise bodily from the dead as well. Death is not the end of the story for your body and mine. At the last trump we shall all be raised. Our bodies, now like the Lord’s, incorruptible, imperishable, honorable, will be reunited with our spirits which have been with the Lord, and we shall bear the image of the man of heaven (1 Corinthians 15:49). You and I, like Jesus, will be raised, the same body, but gloriously different. Hallelujah!

In one of his lighter moments, Benjamin Franklin penned his own epitaph. He didn’t profess to be a born-again Christian, but it seems he must have been influenced by Paul’s teaching of the resurrection of the body. Here’s what he wrote:

“The Body of B. Franklin, Printer Like the Cover of an old Book Its contents torn out, And stript of its Lettering and Guilding, Lies here, Food for Worms, But the Work shall not be wholly lost: For it will, as he believ’d, Appear once more In a new & more perfect Edition, Corrected and amended by the Author.”

As you worship this Easter Sunday, remember the empty tomb, believe, and look forward to your new and more perfect edition yet to come!

BACK IN THE SADDLE AGAIN

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The blogging saddle that is.

Not that I dismounted the blogosphere entirely over the last six years. From 2020 through 2022 I switched platforms to my Idaho church site. But since retirement in 2023, my personal site has remained live on the web, but void of any new posts.

Why? A number of reasons.

One, a much-needed rest. At age 70 I welcomed retirement and the opportunity to put aside ministry demands–including writing.

Two, a big move. Jan and I left Idaho for good to return to the Orlando area. Time to prioritize connection to our kids, grandkids, and extended family.

Three, a new home. We didn’t bring much from the NW to equip our Longwood place. It took way more time than expected to settle in.

Fourth, a lost voice. I have lacked any inspiration to write. Honestly, until recently retirement thus far has left me feeling lost in other ways. I’ve searched to little avail for purpose and direction in this still relatively new season of life.

But lately, with nudges from a long-time friend (thank you Mark) and some reading resources, I’ve sensed revived motivation to mount up again and see where the ride might take me.

Many thanks to followers past and new ones yet to come who may hitch a ride with me along the way!

ON TURNING 48

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Reflections on My Other Birthday

Spiritual, that is.

December 14, 1972 the wind of the Spirit blew irresistibly (John 3:1-8) into my life through a gospel conversation.

My eyes opened, my chains fell off, my heart was free. Amazing grace, how sweet the sound indeed!

As I savored this morning’s coffee, overlooking the Idaho winter landscape, I marveled. That day nearly five decades ago, I decided to follow Jesus–and I’ve yet to look back, by God’s grace.

A very twisted and curvy road with traffic seen from above

The Twists and Turns

So many on this faith journey! Here is just a sample . . .

Left home (1973)–long story–some poor choices on my part. Fabulous first wife, Nancy (1974). Two beautiful sons, Joshua (1978) and Joel (1980). Seminary MDiv (1979-82). DMin degree (1997). Y2K wilderness trial (1998-2000)–even longer story. Head and neck cancer/treatment (2005). Cancer free (2010)! Death of beloved firstborn (2014). Jaw failure (2015). Death of beloved bride (2016). Jaw reconstruction (2016). Rockstar second wife, Jan (2017). Semi-retirement and book published (2018). COVID-19 pandemic (2020).

The banner of certain Scriptures waves over all the above and more. All things work together for good (Romans 8:28). My grace is sufficient (2 Cor. 12:9). The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord (Job 1:21). Sorrowful yet always rejoicing (2 Corinthians 6:10). To everything there is a season (Ecclesiastes 3:1).

Palestinian shepherd

Ever the Shepherd

Some may wonder, why no mention of all the churches served? Good question. They are so significant, so integral a part of my story, they deserve separate attention.

Christ Church of Valley Forge, now Calvary Fellowship (1972-79)
Grace Evangelical Free Church (1982-85)
Orlando Community Church (1985-1991)
Vista Community Church (1992-1998)
Orlando Grace Church (2001-2018)
Trinity Reformed Baptist Church (2019-present). Website under construction.

Each has served my spiritual growth with its own unique emphasis. I’m thankful for them all.

CCVF taught me the essential of servant leadership which does not lord authority over others but influences by godly example (Matthew 20:20-28).

Grace EV Free taught me a lead pastor’s first church is more about where he needs to slay his own idols and grow in Christ-likeness than how much he impacts others (1 Timothy 4:12).

OCC gave me a pastor to shepherd me through my cancer and always be my friend (Proverbs 18:24). Thank you, John Christiansen.

Vista taught me you can take calculated faith risks and see God work in amazing ways, but take nothing for granted along the way (Hebrews 11:6).

OGC taught me to never step into the pulpit with anything less than a passion to make much of God for the joy of His people (2 Corinthians 1:24).

TRBC is teaching me that God is always working to transform me by the renewing of my mind (Romans 12:1-2) and, as in all the beloved churches above, He often ordains conflict as an opportunity to glorify God, grow in Christ-likeness, and love and serve others. There has never been a more challenging year to shepherd than 2020.

Lord knows I’ve made my share of mistakes and more are to come, but I praise God for the lessons learned.

Motivational and inspirational quote.

Where My Reflections Land

It is God and His great power which has kept me thus far (Jude 1) and will keep me to the end (Jude 24-25). Thanks be to His mighty name!

I long to stay in the race running well by faith in Jesus (Hebrews 12:1-2) to my 50th spiritual birthday and beyond, Lord willing.

Nothing less than steadfast, immovable, abounding in the work of the Lord, while He gives me grace, will suffice (1 Corinthians 15:58).

Why? Because, as the rest of the verse promises, the labor is not in vain. Hallelujah and Amen!

MY WASTING RIGHT HAND

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Surgery on Monday to Restore Its Use

I keep thinking I’ve run out of downstream consequences of radiation treatment to my neck so many years ago. Not so!

The latest version of guess-what-we-get-to-deal-with-now is the near uselessness of my dominant hand.

I’ve struggled with neuropathy in my right hand fingers ever since chemo in 2005. But lately the numbness and tingling there has increased so much that I’ve lost nearly all tactile sensation. I’m down to my thumb and index finger for typing. On top of that, significant muscle wasting has occurred in the hand such that I have very little strength for every day tasks. I compensate a lot with my left hand, but I sure miss Mr. Right.

A nerve conduction study revealed that the median and ulnar nerves on that side have stopped working. Two different hand surgeons believe the place to begin for any hope of relief–they make no guarantees–involves carpal & cubital tunnel (elbow) surgery to relieve compression to those nerves.

The outpatient surgery will last about 90 minutes. I’ll wear a wrist-to-armpit cast for two weeks and then a brace for another two followed by therapy, leaving me without use of my right hand for about six weeks. Anybody know a good OT I can call? 🙂

I’ve enjoyed a couple years off from general anesthesia. At least doctors aren’t slicing into my neck this time! But here we go again.

I’m finding comfort and encouragement from a verse like 2 Corinthians 4:16:

So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day.

My right hand wastes away for sure, but we hope to improve that with these procedures. But even if we don’t and knowing the rest of my body with age continues to decline over time, I don’t lost heart.

God continues to renew my spirit day by day through the means of grace that are his word, prayer, and people. He is continually with me; he holds my right hand (Psalm 73:23).

Your prayers are coveted and much appreciated on Monday at 9 AM Pacific time.

SOFT ANSWER, DOUBLE VICTORY

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Peacemaking Wisdom from Proverbs

Recently I’ve returned to a helpful practice I learned early on in my spiritual journey. Each morning I read a chapter of the book of Proverbs for that day of the month.

This time around I’m observing just how many verses contain valuable peacemaking insights. When I come across such verses, I often consult my favorite commentary on Proverbs by Charles Bridges.

Two days ago I paused on verse one of chapter 15:

A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.

Bridges’ thoughts make for a worthwhile read:

WHAT a mine of practical wisdom is this Book of God! Let us ponder this valuable rule for self-discipline, family peace, and Church unity. Scripture often illustrates the different effects of the tongue. The soft answer is the water to quench–Grievous words are the oil to stir up, the fire. And this is, alas! man’s natural propensity, to feed rather than to quench, the angry flame. We yield to irritation; retort upon our neighbour; have recourse to self-justification; insist upon the last word; say all that we could say; and think we “do well to be angry.” (Jonah iv. 9.) Neither party gives up an atom of the will. Pride and passion on both sides strike together like two flints; and “behold! how great a matter a little fire kindleth!”  (Jam. iii. 5.) Thus there is the self-pleasing sarcasm; as if we had rather lose a friend, than miss a clever stroke. All this the world excuses as a sensitive and lively temper. But the gospel sets before us our Saviour’s example; imbues with his spirit; and imparts that blessed “charity, that is not easily provoked;” and therefore is careful not to provoke a chafed or wounded spirit. If others begin, let us forbear from continuing the strife. ‘Patience is the true peace-maker.’ Soft and healing words gain a double victory—over ourselves and our brother.

Two for the price of one. You can’t beat that.

A BIRTHDAY GREETING TO MY BRIDE

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63 Reasons I’m Crazy About You

Jan Leslie, HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

I’m crazier about you more than ever.

Here are 63 reasons you might like to know–just sayin.

One, you love Jesus more than me.

Two, family matters to you, bigtime.

Three, your gift of encouragement.

Four, your gift of mercy.

Five, your gift of music–piano every night!

Six, your love for creation.

Seven, your passion for taking pictures of just about everything.

Eight, your compassion for the hurting.

Nine, your love of my cooking.

Ten, your inquisitive nature.

Eleven, your delight in other people’s stories.

Twelve, your joy in playing games.

Thirteen, your Costco joke.

Fourteen, your incredible smile.

Fifteen, your guarding of our oneness.

Sixteen, your ministry of greeting cards.

Seventeen, your ministry of soup making.

Eighteen, your willingness for me to rub your feet.

Nineteen, your reading through the Little House books with me.

Twenty, your partnership in doing hospitality.

Twenty-one, your insistence that we walk and workout.

Twenty-two, your healthcare experience for my aging body.

Twenty three, your infectious laugh.

Twenty-four, your modesty.

Twenty-five, your gracious, forgiving spirit.

Twenty-six, your being easily led.

Twenty-seven, your generosity.

Twenty-eight, your courage in facing the unknown.

Twenty-nine, your view of every little child as “How cute!”

Twenty-nine, your hope one day to see a moose.

Thirty, your flexibility (middle name).

Thirty-one, your fierce desire to know more.

Thirty-two, your teachability.

Thirty-three, your commitment to discipleship.

Thirty-four, your fear of God.

Thirty-five, putting your hand to this plow.

Thirty-five, for teaching me to pursue my grandkids more.

Thirty-six, for telling me “I’m proud of you.”

Thirty-seven, for watching some football with me.

Thirty-eight, for editing my writing.

Thirty-nine, for laughing every time I say that thing.

Forty, for wanting to understand me better.

Forty-one, for being willing to live in Idaho.

Forty-two, for actually liking the mobile home.

Forty-three, for walking by faith and not by sight.

Forty-four, for shooting straight with me.

Forty-five, for not expecting me to read your mind.

Forty-six, for letting me say the same words to you every night.

Forty-seven, for never going to sleep at night angry at me.

Forty-eight, for loving the mountains as much as I do.

Forty-nine, for letting me abscond with you to Idaho.

Fifty, for being totally gorgeous.

Fifty-one, for being my very best friend.

Fifty-two, for being my cheerleader.

Fifty-three, for doing premarital counseling with me.

Fifty-four, for never shaming me.

Fifty-five, for being quick to forgive.

Fifty-six, for loving to grocery shop.

Fifty-seven, for not loving any other kind of shopping.

Fifty-eight, for always believing the best.

Fifty-nine, for loving to drive as much as possible.

Sixty, for being so relationally wired.

Sixty-one, for NEVER being insecure about a statement about  Nancy.

Sixty-two, for loving me so fiercely, truly, and unconditionally.

Sixty-three, for making this way too easy for me.

I love you, BG!

May the Lord grant us many happy returns together.