Better is dry crust with peace and quiet than a house full of feasting with strife. Proverbs 17:1, TLV

Are You in the Wrong “Neighborhood?”     I used to live in “Strife-ville.” I’m not sure when I moved there. One day I happened to notice I was surrounded by strife. And in an odd dysfunctional way, it was comforting. So, I kept myself ensconced in Strife-ville. I had to surround myself with unrest and at times, I actually manufactured it. It was with me at work. Home. Driving in the car. It was as pervasive as a thick fog.

Interestingly enough, Strife-ville had a large population. We citizens kept the city pretty busy. The more people who “moved” there, the more strife circulated.

Why Be a Resident of Strife-ville?

Strife in this world is expected, but our Heavenly Father offers us peace.

“These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have shalom. In the world you will have trouble, but take heart! I have overcome the world!” John 16:33, TLV

Most of Paul’s epistles began with the words grace and peace. Our home should be a fortress of peace. That’s not always possible these days. Still, it is said that home is where the heart is. Then it stands to reason that we can have peace in our heart—even if things around us are not peaceful. Besides, God says that we can.

“Do not be anxious about anything—but in everything, by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. And the shalom of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Messiah Yeshua.” Philippians 4:6-7

Moving Day

At some point, during a very difficult time in my life, I experienced the peace and quiet of a strife-less home. As the echoes of strife faded away, the quiet came. Initially, it was strange and uncomfortable.

In the quiet, the long-unsettled battles of my life surfaced. In that intentional quiet, God and I dealt with many of those battles. One by one.

Today, I crave the quiet. I moved from Strife-ville to the quiet neighborhood of Shalom-ville—peace. I work to keep our home strife-free — a safe place where we can just be. A place of renewal so that we can go back into the world rested and ready to serve. And that’s a good thing.

Think More About It

Have you ever been a resident of Strife-ville? Did you move away? Are you ready?

Until tomorrow, may we move away from Strife-ville and into the quiet neighborhood of peace, my friends.

Deliver me from workers of iniquity.
Rescue me from bloodthirsty men.
For behold, they lie in wait for me.
Defiant men stir up strife against me—
not for my transgression or sin, ADONAI [LORD].
For no guilt of mine, they run and set things up.
Awake! Help me! Look! Psalm 59:3-5, TLV

Strife is everywhere. This passage is a great prayer on the behalf of Israel—so let’s agree together for them. But it’s also relevant for all our brothers and sisters in Messiah—especially our families. As we pray this for Israel, let’s pray for our family in faith. God bless you and Shabbat Shalom!