for him to enter the front door. Only one little detail went wrong. Her husband didn’t show up. The soup got cold and she got hot under the collar. When it was 15 minutes later, the phone rang. Her husband report ed that he had been delayed at the office. He would be right there with a friend. That really burned her up. Well, when luncheon was finally served the guest said he didn’t want the soup. And her husband, after one mouthful complained, “Why in the world did you make this so hot?” They hurried through the rest with very little conversation and the two hurried away, leaving this sputtering woman behind. She was furious! Af ter she told me her stormy story, I simply commented, “You know, you don’t have to be upset over some thing like that!” She really got dis turbed then, and maybe you would for her. It wasn’t doing her any good to fume and fuss around an empty house. She wasn’t hurting her hus band. He knew nothing about it. But it certainly hurt her. The Bible tells us that wherever strife is, there is confusion and every evil work. When you have hard feel ings lurking in your soul you start thinking in terms of getting even, and some pretty evil things begin to make sense. My client was defend ing her right to be hostile. And I would just like to say to you that was her privilege. You hurt nobody but yourself. Envy and s t r i f e don’t come from above. The wisdom that is from above is first pure and peace able and gentle. Doesn't that sound great? It’s easy to be entreated or approachable. It’s without partiality and hypocrisy. The fruit of right eousness is sown in peace to them that make peace. Why do we want to resist and fight peace? If you knew that you could get rid of strife in your heart wouldn’t you grab for it? This woman got mad at me when the idea was first advanced. It's not a case of defending her mate, but 15
God. In James 3:14-18 we read some tremendous truths related to this subject. Take the time to study them for yourself, and let the Holy Spirit give you His illumination. The in spired word declares “But if you have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. This wisdom de- scendeth not from above, but it is earthly, sensual, devilish. For where envying and strife is there is confu sion and every evil work. But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.” Notice where envy and strife are located. It’s inside where no one sees it; you can easily hide it. This cer tainly isn’t pleasing to the Lord. The word sensual means p leasu rab le. Have you ever known “hard feel ings” to be pleasurable? Yes, at times, there is something satisfying about them. It’s sad to see elderly people who have carried gripes and complaints for 25 or 30 years. Think ing to themselves, they’re worked up into frenzy, seething over the thing that’s long been forgotten. This is devilish; it isn’t of the Lord. I remember a woman who came to me one day, really upset, for her regular appointment. She said that when her husband was leaving the room that morning he commented, “I’m coming home for lunch today.” That seemed to be a good idea so she’d make this a really memorable occasion. She got out a tablecloth, good dishes and even the best silver ware. The table was set for two. He always liked soup piping hot. Since he was punctual she would have it all ready for him. When it got close to noon she took the added trouble to take a bath. With hair combed, fresh make-up, best perfume, and one of her better dresses, she waited
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