God And Practical Common Sense

Today I am writing my devotion from my Mother's home in Southern California. I seem to have forgotten a few pieces of hardware for my laptop, namely my power cord, so I have no "juice" to use it while away from home. Anyway, I am looking at 1 Peter 3:10 and it says, "Let Him who means to love life and see good days refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips from speaking guile."

Boy this is a tough one. We all have something to say about almost everything that goes on in life. Whether it affects our individual lives or not. In other words, we are very "opinionated". The advise that Peter gives us here is simple and to the point. In fact, the first 9 verses of this chapter are a reference to "Godly Living" and some "Hindrances to Prayer" that we all have, I am sure, recognized in the past.

Verse 8 & 9 indicate that we should "...let all be harmonious, sympathetic, brotherly, kindhearted, and humble in spirit; not returning evil for evil, or insult for insult, but giving a blessing instead; for you were called for the very purpose that you might inherit a blessing."

Ouch! Just driving out here to California there was a man driving very close to the back of my car and I had no place to go, so I was stressed about him "pushing" me to get out of his way. I don't feel that I returned "evil for evil" toward him when he did finally pass me a few miles up the road but I also don't remember being "brotherly, kindhearted, and humble in spirit" as he passed by.

Peter is simply telling us here that "good practical common sense" is probably the best policy in situations just like mine earlier today. Of course, I didn't insult him with any physical gestures as he drove by, but I didn't pull him over and invite him for dinner either.

I understand that "known sin in the heart" will hinder prayer and now that I am writing this I don't recall asking God to keep him safe as he drove down the freeway like a "loon". Pretty much a "catch 22" in this illustration but you get it, I'm sure.

We know that unharmonious relationships, selfishness, unforgiving spirits, and unbelief hinder our prayer life and Peter wants to tell us to use good common sense in relating to others as we are a constant witness for God. We are, indeed, His representation here on earth.

So I have asked God for forgiveness and He has assured me that He will help me be more of what He wants me to be. I understand that when I go to God, I go in "all humility" asking Him to reveal situations that may hinder my prayer life so I can judge it, confess it, calling it by name and forsake that attitude. And He forgives. That's too cool.

Dave