“Have you experienced a sorrow caused by unkindness, when others cruelly mistreat your trusting heart, and you even begin to wonder if there is really a God above who sees what is happening yet continues to allow it? …God has allowed the difficulty to come upon you, in order to bring you closer to Himself.”
“Streams in the Desert,” 12-22
Christmastime is family time. Wherever there are siblings – there will be a rivalry! It goes back to Cain and Abel.
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The People of Israel asked the Benjaminites to surrender the men who killed the concubine. They refused.
Judges 20:12-14, “…’What’s the meaning of this outrage?’… (13) ‘Surrender…’ (14) But they wouldn’t do it. …” The Message
The Benjaminites fought the other tribes. Everyone wanted justice for the concubine. The Benjaminites saw everyone was against them and went to war.
Judges 21:25, “At that time there was no king in Israel. People did whatever they felt like doing.” The Message
Most of their tribe died. The soldiers that escaped lost their wives and families. The rest of the tribes swore they would not allow their daughters to marry a Benjaminite. They got wives from 2 different sources in Chapter 21.
“When you hold resentment it feels like there’s a war going on inside you. …the more you fight, the more ground you lose. Arguing just drains you of energy and leaves you more hurt and angry. You’re in a no-win situation. You struggle with who’s right and who’s wrong. You spend so much time trying to out-do, out-shout, and out-maneuver others that you lose your peace and joy. …Don’t allow someone’s actions to determine your reactions. …”
I like that. “Don’t allow someone’s actions to determine your reactions.”
Will you be with your siblings this week?
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