For several years he had been a bitter recluse, never attending the church he once loved dearly. Now he was terminally ill and cried most of the time. The few people who had maintained some contact with him were deeply concerned. They remembered him as a warm Christian man until a very unfortunate incident occurred.

An affluent fellow church member had cheated this man in a business deal and then had slandered him. At first he reacted properly and tried to settle the matter in private. When these efforts failed, he attempted to find two elders from his church to accompany him and confront the man, but none of them wanted to become involved. Frustrated, he then left the church and became an unhappy loner.

Without excusing the guilty businessman or the cowardly elders, I am convinced that this man's lack of peace was the result of his own disobedience. Even though he was wronged, he should have obeyed the commands to "love your enemies" and "pray for those who spitefully use you" (Matthew 5:44).

Love, obedience, and peace are an inseparable trio. If we love Jesus as we should, we will obey Him, no matter what. And when we do, we can enjoy the peace that only God's Spirit can give (John 14:27; Galatians 5:22).  — Herbert Vander Lugt