God looks for opportunities to show Himself strong in the lives of His saints. This is true both historically and in the lives of His people living today.
No doubt, some nations have seen more of the Lord’s mighty works than others. Those nations are accountable for all that they have known and experienced.
The true riches and honour come only from the Lord (1 Chronicles 29:12). Only the Lord has the infallible wisdom to determine the riches each man can rightfully possess in order to bring God the greatest glory. The Lord warned His people that as their riches increased, they would be tempted to forget the origin of those riches: God. He told them to remember that it was He that gave them power to get wealth in the first place (Deuteronomy 8:18). Solomon stated that the ability of men to possess riches and partake of those riches was the gift of God. Unfortunately, as men’s riches increase, many men lose sight of these truths.
As violence escalates, the dependence of the saints upon the Lord for safety becomes increasingly apparent. David serves as a wonderful demonstration of this truth. Seemingly, he constantly found himself threatened by violent men. Shortly after the Lord’s deliverance from the hands of Saul, David wrote a song in which he praised the Lord for saving him from violence (2 Samuel 22:3). Not only was safety from violence the subject of David’s songs, but it was also the theme of his prayers (Psalm 140:1-4). David understood the inevitable presence of violence but also understood that his safety was of the Lord.
A normal man naturally desires to protect what God has given to him. Jacob was not always the best example of godliness, but he had the right desire to protect his family from harm. The Bible reveals to us how he reacted when he could see his brother Esau approaching. Unsure of how this reunion might disintegrate into harm, Jacob divided his family with the most precious at the rear. As his family’s protector, Jacob led the caravan. If there was going to be trouble, he would have an opportunity to intervene offering his family an opportunity to flee for safety. According to Ephesians 5:25, a man’s protection should include a willingness to lay down his life for his wife. A godly man will always intercede between his home and the impending danger.
In Bible times, the greatest form of defence for a city was to remain strong and surrounded by high walls. If a people group or nation had high walls and a strong city, they were extremely difficult to conquer. During these times, the barriers were imperative for a strong national defense. The Lord considered this scenario as an appropriate picture to demonstrate the state of an offended brother, resulting from contention. The Lord likens this contention to the bars on a castle. Even if the enemy were capable of getting into the strong city, other obstacles existed making it impossible to break through to its core. These included the bars erected to avoid someone from entering the castle. In like manner, contention makes it almost impossible to break through to the heart of an offended brother.
Godly leadership shows itself as fair, flexible, and just. Many different things are taken into consideration before directing those under authority. Does the individual’s personality demand a strong hand of leadership or patience and gentleness? Although leadership presents varying challenges, the astute leader considers these challenges as opportunities for excellence. In turn, the effective leader always develops within himself the ability to discern how to lead and motivate the different people types. For instance, today’s passage shows Jacob explaining to Esau the need to lead on softly because the children could not endure a demanding journey. The same leadership methods simply will not work for every individual. A godly leader seeks out the Lord for help in determining what will best accomplish the will of God by strengthening his followers.
Many people view meekness as an inherent weakness, yet the Bible corrects this faulty notion. The ability to demonstrate meekness in a time of ridicule or persecution displays strength. Today's passage reveals that a man slow to anger is “better than the mighty.” In fact, a man that “ruleth his spirit” is better than a military conqueror who “taketh a city.” Rather than a weakness, the ability to demonstrate meekness is a sign of great strength. The Bible declares that the Lord Jesus Christ was meek (Matthew 11:29); yet He simultaneously held the world together “by the word of His power” (Hebrews 1:3). We see that God referred to Moses as meek, yet he had the power through the Lord to part the Red Sea (Exodus 14:21) and to open the earth and swallow his enemies (Numbers 16:28-34). Weak individuals respond in anger when attacked; those who are strong exercise meekness.
