God, I think I have enemies

When people’s lives please the Lord, even their enemies are at peace with them. (Proverbs 16:7)

Wouldn't it be great if we all lived together in perfect harmony, never again raising fists to fight, or sending missiles high into the air to wipe out entire communities? We don't always do a very good job at living 'at peace' with others - much less with our enemies! Living at peace with each other doesn't come naturally to us. It is a direct result of us aligning our lives with Jesus and then allowing him to live through us. This doesn't mean we will never have enemies - it just means God will allow our enemies to see godly character in us. They will still be our enemies, but they won't 'war against us'.

We should live in such a way that others desire the things they see in our character. Maybe our enemies will still be our enemies, but they will admire what they see in us, even when they don't know exactly why it is we are the way we are. I have had 'enemies' who didn't understand my actions - hard actions I was compelled to take because of my ethical standards. They might not have understood, but they trusted me because they knew I lived by those standards. Christ isn't telling us we won't face uncomfortable circumstances, or always be understood by others. He is reminding us to seek him first, know his ways, endeavor to live within those standards, and let him take care of our enemies.

Maybe the greatest part of this verse is the reminder to keep God first. As we give him the right place in our hearts, seeking his truths and living as he shows us to live, we find ourselves in circumstances where our enemies cannot really touch us. Whenever we try to please others first, putting God in any other position than FIRST, we find it difficult to 'live at peace' with others and vice-versa. When God is first in our lives, our response toward our enemies will be kinder and a whole lot less defensive. We will allow God to be our defense and just lean in a bit closer to him. Just sayin!