Ten year old boys get together to play. One instigates playing aggressively then when things get out of hand, accuses the other boys of hurting him. In reality he started it and he lied about it to save face. He didn’t really care about his “friends.”
“Once when Jacob was cooking stew, Esau came in from the field, and he was exhausted. And Esau said to Jacob, ‘Let me eat some of that red stew, for I am exhausted!’ (Therefore his name was called Edom.) Jacob said, ‘Sell me your birthright now..” Esau said, ‘I am about to die; of what use is a birthright to me?’ Jacob said, ‘Swear to me now.’ So he swore to him and sold his birthright to Jacob. Then Jacob gave Esau bread and lentil stew, and he ate and drank and rose and went his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright.” (Genesis 25: 29-34)
How foolish was Esau? He was going to die because he was hungry? Obviously his birthright meant nothing to him.
“If it please the king, let a royal order go out from him, and let it be written among the laws of the Persians and the Medes so that it may not be repealed, that Vashti is never again to come before King Ahasuerus. And let the king give her royal position to another who is better than she. So when the decree made by the king is proclaimed throughout all his kingdom, for it is vast, all women will give honor to their husbands, high and low alike.” (Esther 1: 19-20 ESV)
The queen made a mistake. It was used as an example to all of what not to do.
“Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.” (Matthew 24:44 ESV)
Don’t spend your time hanging out with those who make bad choices. Focus on doing the right thing and the Heaven that’s yet to come.
“Knowing that for many years you have been judge over this nation, I cheerfully make my defense. You can verify that it is not more than twelve days since I went up to worship in Jerusalem, and they did not find me disputing with anyone or stirring up a crowd, either in the temple or in the synagogues or in the city. Neither can they prove to you what they now bring up against me. But this I confess to you, that according to the Way, which they call a sect, I worship the God of our fathers, believing everything laid down by the Law and written in the Prophets, having a hope in God, which these men themselves accept, that there will be a resurrection of both the just and the unjust. So I always take pains to have a clear conscience toward both God and man. Now after several years I came to bring alms to my nation and to present offerings. While I was doing this, they found me purified in the temple, without any crowd or tumult. But some Jews from Asia- they ought to be here before you and to make accusation, should they have anything against me. Or else let these men themselves say what wrongdoing they found when I stood before the council, other than this one thing that I cried out while standing among them: ‘It is with respect to the resurrection of the dead that I am on trial before you this day.” (Acts 24: 10-21 ESV)
Paul was on trial, defending himself for being accused of something he did not do. The ten year old boys who were accused had to defend themselves too. Life is hard sometimes. The lesson is to keep walking like God would want you to walk. And when all evidence is given its proper light, justice will prevail.
Lord,
Help us be examples to both young and old of how to handle conflict. Help us to always handle situations with integrity so that when we have to give an account for what really happened, the truth will shine through.
Amen
Sixty-six books in a year 