Marriage, friendship, parenting and living at peace with others.
Jealousy and suspicion are commonplace in relationships such as marriage and courtship. It is also common in the workplace between workers. It is also common in business among partners. It is also common among relatives and friends. It is also common among neighbors. Should we address feelings of jealousy and suspicion in relationships?
To be unfaithful to the LORD is to put your own welfare in jeopardy. To be unfaithful to the LORD is actually suicidal. To be unfaithful to the LORD is a risk that everyone in their right mind avoids.
To be considerate means you take into account the various unique situations that may affect a person from being like others. To be considerate means you give allowance for someone to participate who would not qualify because of situations beyond their ability to control. To be considerate means while officially the person is disqualified yet because of your magnanimity you allow them to participate. To be considerate means you give a listening ear to what should be dismissed without further hearing. To be considerate means you give a second chance to a remorseful person.
The third lesson is that the shortest life is not the worst life. During funerals we mourn that life is short. We weep bitterly for those who die young. We wish the late person had lived longer. This chapter teaches us that the shortest life may not be the worst life. It can be shortest and best. Compared to everyone else in this chapter, Enoch lived the shortest life of 365 years, Genesis 5:23. Yet this shortest life had the best ending of going into eternity with God, Genesis 5:24. In this short life on earth, Enoch did what was never said of Adam, Methuselah or anyone else, he walked with God. Faithfulness to God is a remarkable achievement and contribution to life. We should not worry about longevity but quality of life. Its better a short and sweet life than long and empty. Make your days count.
We should live such lives not intentionally to please our parents, but because it is our preferred way of life. We should do it for God’s sake through God’s power. The by-product of such a life is that people will be pleased and parents will be overjoyed!
Who do you share the same viewpoint? Whose content do you consume with ease? What category of music and movies do you watch for hours with ease? What social media stuff have you been begged to follow but you just can’t? What do all these reveal about your viewpoint?
This is a difficult text to interpret. Particularly those last words after the full colon. In this world, we are like Jesus. What? Yes, that is what Apostle John has been inspired to tell the church that time and us today. In this world, we are like Jesus.
Money always runs out do not act surprised. People get sick at any age in life, do not speak, and act as if something unique and strange is happening to you. Do not insinuate that you are bewitched and some people want to finish you, and by the way, even that is normal. Do not act surprised.
Spouses hide each other’s wrongdoing. When a spouse exposes their partner, they have failed miserably in that partnership. There is no love. To tell the world that my spouse is so bad because he or she does this and that is a sign of immaturity in faith and life in general. Why tell the world about the weaknesses of your spouse? Many times its revenge and an attempt to blackmail, hurt, and embarrass. He doesn’t perform. She is dirty and careless. That is a sign of immaturity and lost love. Love in its true sense covers a multitude of sins!