Day 188

1 Chronicles 4:5–5:17; Acts 25:1-27; Psalm 5:1-12; Proverbs 18:19

THE APOSTLE PAUL was probably not counting the many powerful and influential people he was testifying before as he attempted to defend himself from the accusations of his Jewish brethren. But as we can see in our readings from Acts, he was on no less of a missionary journey while working his way through the Roman judicial system than he was traveling from city to city. From today’s reading, we can see that Paul’s impact was only escalating.

Our reading from Proverbs today not only hits the bull’s-eye of truth but also, as usual, hits a nerve: “An offended friend is harder to win back than a fortified city” (Proverbs 18:19).

We’ve probably spent time on both sides of this equation and know how deeply true it is. An offense is the resentment that occurs when we sense we’ve been disrespected by someone —whether in word or action. If we’re the offended, the walls come up, and we emotionally shut down to protect ourselves. That part is natural. This reaction becomes dangerous when the offense festers into a poison of unresolved emotions that are held together by assumptions. As this proverb tells us, we become like a fortified city, and we’ve read many stories in the Bible about people wasting away in a walled city under siege. Resentment isn’t healthy.

If we are the offender and cannot breach the wall of the friendship, we often settle into our own self-righteousness and act aloof and indifferent. This, too, is unhealthy.

The proverb continues by telling us, “Arguments separate friends like a gate locked with bars.” We can all attest to lost relationships, just as the verse describes. But the proverb isn’t just stating facts. It is telling us that these things will happen between people if we allow an offense to run its course unaddressed.

Perhaps there are fences in your life that need to be mended. Maybe you’ve lost friendships that needn’t be lost and could be restored with humility and grace. If an offense can turn a person into a walled city, imagine what repentance and loyalty can do.

PRAYER:

Lead me in the right path, O LORD, or my enemies will conquer me. Make your way plain for me to follow.