when our ways are pleasing to God...

"When a man's ways are pleasing to the LORD,

He makes even his enemies live at peace with him."

~ Proverbs 16:7

I ran across this verse recently as I was reading my Bible, and it really caught my attention. I guess I always think of the verse in 2 Chronicles that talks about God healing a land when the people turn to Him, but although I'd read this verse in Proverbs before... it wasn't one that I remembered all that well.

When we live our lives in a way that is pleasing to God... when we obey Him and are God-conscious in whatever we do... then He is going to make even our enemies live at peace with us. An example that comes to my mind is Loving our enemies, and not repaying anyone evil for evil. (see Matthew 5 and Romans 12...) When we Love others as Christ has Loved us, and when we put others above ourselves, that is such a great example, and it reflecting Jesus to all we come in contact with. If we live so as to obey God, then people are going to notice, including our enemies, and we can have a good influence and impact in this way.

At the same time, I think this verse in Proverbs is written in such a way that we can look at it and say that... if we are living to please God, then He is going to bless that. He will bless us with living in peace with our enemies.

In reading this... I thought of how opposite it seems to be of America. And yet, it makes sense. It follows these verses perfectly. America as a whole is not a country that is living so as to obey God. So why then would we be living at peace?? Until our country becomes humble and turns to God... it is not going to get any better. We can look and read that straight from the Bible.

Keep on praying for our country, and for our leaders. It is so crucial.

"If My people,

who are called by My name,

will humble themselves

and pray and seek My face

and turn from their wicked ways,

then will I hear from heaven

and will forgive their sin

and will heal their land."

~ 2 Chronicles 7:14