8.6- The good news is that we don’t have to react to people in the way they act toward us.

 8.6-

The good news is that we don’t have to react to people in the way they act toward us.  We can change the dynamic movements.  Others may be pushing division toward us but we can stay committed to harmony in our lives.

As George Stebbins wrote:

Out of bondage, sorrow and night

Into freedom gladness and light.

Out of sickness into health.

Out of want and into spiritual wealth.

Out of sin and guilt and into the pure health of life with Jesus.

Out of shameful, failure and loss.

Into the glorious gain of the cross.

Out of sorrows into the balm of Gilead.

Out of life’s storms and into the calm.

Out of distress and into a Psalm.

Out of unrest and arrogant pride.

Into God’s will to abide.

Out of self into His love.

Into the upward flight of the wings of a dove.

Out of the fear and dread of the tomb.

Into the light and hope of God’s eternal home.

Out of the depths of ruin untold.

Into the peace of being in Jesus’ secure sheepfold.

Ever Jesus’ glorious face to behold.

Jesus I come to you.

From the Song Out of my bondage with Adaptations.

George Stebbins

1 Peter 3.

8 [d]To sum up, all of you be harmonious, sympathetic, [e]loving, compassionate, and humble; 9 not returning evil for evil or insult for insult, but giving a blessing instead; for you were called for the very purpose that you would inherit a blessing. 10 For,

“The one who desires life, to love and see good days,
Must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit.
11 He must turn away from evil and do good;
He must seek peace and pursue it.
12 For the eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous,
And His ears attend to their prayer,
But the face of the Lord is against evildoers.”

13 And who is [f]there to harm you if you prove zealous for what is good? 14 But even if you should suffer for the sake of righteousness, you [g]are blessed. And do not fear their [h]intimidation, and do not be in dread, 15 but [i]sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a [j]defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, but with gentleness and respect; 16 [k]and keep a good conscience so that in the thing in which you are slandered, those who disparage your good behavior in Christ will be put to shame. 17 For it is better, if [l]God should will it so, that you suffer for doing what is right rather than for doing what is wrong. 18 For Christ also [m]suffered for sins once for all time, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the [n]spirit; 19 in [o]which He also went and made proclamation to the spirits in prison, 20 who once were disobedient when the patience of God kept waiting in the days of Noah, during the construction of the ark, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through the water. 21 Corresponding to that, baptism now saves you—not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal to God [p]for a good conscience—through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 22 who is at the right hand of God, having gone into heaven, after angels and authorities and powers had been subjected to Him.