Forbear

Focus: Proverbs 25:15 - KJV

15. By long forbearing is a prince persuaded, and a soft tongue breaketh the bone.

Ecclesiastes 10:4

There is a way we respond to issues that we are confronted with that will make the person on the other side angry and vent the same against us; and yet there is a way we respond to the anger of a man who has the capacity to hurt us that makes him calm down and change his mind concerning our matter. David had an army that scared the army of nations. With this army, he protected the wealth of people around him, including Nabal. If therefore, David proceeded against Nabal, he needed not to employ the full compliments of his army to destroy Nabal’s estate. Ordinarily, there was no pact between Nabal and David to warrant entitlement to recompense from Nabal. Nonetheless, knowing the prowess that David commanded, a wise person would forbear and respond to David’s request for recompense with wisdom. Unfortunately, Nabal did not do this. He was brash in his response and David was infuriated by the same. If not for his wiser wife that intervened with softer and more reasonable words, not only would Nabal have died like he eventually did, all his estate would have been destroyed.

It is important we learn from the affairs of those who had gone before us. When Christ was challenged on tax payment, even though there was no justification for His being asked to pay tax while the children of the tax men were not made susceptible to the same treatment; yet Jesus directed Peter to go get the sum require for the payment and pay, just so that the ministry will not be blamed. In essence, even if you possess the power to do and undo, that the ministry is not blamed, there will be need to forbear from time to time, despite the fact that you are the one in right. Forbearance makes the stealth of an aggressor go down. Unless this happens, aggression may not cease and that is not in anyone’s interest.

Beloved, that situation can be better handled if only you can forbear and let sleeping dogs lie. Please do not be too insistent on the enforcement of right as it may not go down well with the other party. All you seek in accordance with the word of God is to pursue peace with all men and holiness without which no one shall see the Lord. Therefore, please mellow down on the pursuit of rights particularly against those who can break or mar your ways.

SOLUTION: Do not over insist on your thought position in any matter. Be gentle with your words to people who can break you and indeed everyone since you do not have the ability to know everyone’s prowess, that you come into contact with.

Please pray: Father, help my temperament in everything I do, that I may with soft words attract favor always, in Jesus’ name. Let everyone that encounters me find me lovable and yield to my bidding to the glory of your name, in Jesus’ name.

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