A little girl lived in a home where her parents were always fussing and fighting. She pleaded with them to be calm and civil toward one another, but the peace only lasted for a day or two. One day she came on her front porch and saw three grey-beard old men sitting there. “Who are you and why are you here?” the little girl asked. The men said they were traveling a long way and needed a minute to rest. They asked the girl to allow them to rest on her porch for a bit; and they promised to be on their way soon.
Puzzled, the little girl said to the men, “Tell me your names.” The men replied one at a time: “My name is Peace.” “My name is Wealth.” “My name is Love.” The girl thought to herself, “These are strange names!” But she asked them to come in and get a drink. The men thanked her, but said only one person can come in at a time. So the girl went in the house and told her parents about the three strangers on the porch. She said to her parents, “They have strange names: One is Peace, one is Wealth, and one is Love. And only one person can come in at a time. Who should we invite in?”
The wife preferred Wealth because her husband wasn’t making enough money! The husband wanted Peace because his wife nagged and fussed too much! A shouting match ensued: “Wealth!” “Peace!” “Wealth!!” “No, Peace!!” Finally the little girl said, “Since you two can’t agree on anything, I’m going to invite Love into our home; we can use some love in this family!” She invited Love but when he got up to go into the house, Peace and Wealth followed. Surprised, the girl asked, “I thought only one of you could come into our house?” The men replied, “It depends on who is called. If Love is called in, then Peace and Wealth will follow.”
In Jude 1:2 we find these words: “Mercy, peace and love be yours in abundance.”
Today, God is offering us three gifts:
Mercy: So that we are spared the consequences of our foolish and unprofitable ways.
Peace: So we can have the space, platform, and frame of mind to make some progress.
Love: So we know that we are accepted, appreciated, and affirmed by a loving God.
All three of these gifts from God are necessary for our lives. But they are not all equal, for the greatest of these is Love (1 Corinthians 13:13). As illustrated in the story I shared, if you have the Love of God, you will enjoy a peace that surpasses understanding (Philippians 4:7), and receive the mercies of God (Ephesians 2:4). You might ask, “What happened to Wealth?” Well if you are reading this, then you have already been blessed with life and sight—and these are priceless!
Everything that God gives us is meant to be shared with others. Today I encourage you to share the love of God with someone, be at peace with your neighbors, and show mercy to those who mess with you. God will reward you with fulfillment, contentment, and great joy.
So when you pray, ask God to grant you all three, please!
Comments