Seek to Understand

Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble. – (1 Peter 3:8, NIV)

So all of you should live together in peace. Try to understand each other. Love each other like brothers and sisters. Be kind and humble. – (1 Peter 3:8, ERV)

Finally, all of you, be like-minded and show sympathy, love, compassion, and humility to and for each other. – (1 Peter 3:8, VOICE)

In order to live together in peace, we must seek to understand one another and love each other like family. To accomplish this requires compassion, humility and kindness. It does not mean we have to share the same opinions on everything or like all of the same thing, but rather it is through mutual love and respect that we may live peaceably with the people around us throughout each new day. The challenge in this is that it only works if all are striving for the same end goal – to love and care for one another like family. I have been blessed to find myself in community at work, church, with friends, and actual family, where care for each other is valued over political, religious, and world views. If people are our priority, peace falls into place. May we ever seek the Lord to lead us in His love, and to show us how to best love those around us with compassion and humility, ever seeking to understand each other in love.

O Lord, please lead us,

To love as You love;

With kindness and grace,

Lifting others up.

Help us be humble,

Keep others in mind;

Seek understanding,

And always be kind.

With true compassion,

Let’s listen and learn;

Value each other,

In love, choose affirm.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You call us to be compassionate and kind, humble and loving, seeking to live at peace with everyone. Thank You that You remind us how to live together like family. Forgive us for the times that we have lacked compassion or humility, and did not seek to understand or to pursue peace. Show us how to love one another as sisters and brothers, for You love us perfectly and provide all that we need to love and live at peace with each other. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we seek to understand each other and live together in peace, with humility, compassion, kindness and love. Amen.

© Shannon Elizabeth Grabrick and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight. – Proverbs 3:5

Beauty Within

Your beauty should not consist of outward things like elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold ornaments or fine clothes. Instead, it should consist of what is inside the heart with the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very valuable in God’s eyes. – (1 Peter 3:3-4, HCSB)

It is not fancy hair, gold jewelry, or fine clothes that should make you beautiful. No, your beauty should come from inside you – the beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit. That beauty will never disappear. It is worth very much to God. – (1 Peter 3:3-4, ERV)

Don’t focus on decorating your exterior by doing your hair or putting on fancy jewelry or wearing fashionable clothes; let your adornment be what’s inside – the real you, the lasting beauty of a gracious and quiet spirit, in which God delights. – (1 Peter 3:3-4, VOICE)

It is what is inside that determines a person’s beauty, not the way that the exterior is decorated. The things that God deems beautiful are characteristics that grow as we invest our hearts and minds in knowing more of Him. The better we know the Lord, the more beautiful our hearts become. A gentle spirit that is full of grace rises up in us to be shared with those around us. The most beautiful people that I have ever known had hearts that were loving and kind, gentle and full of grace. Their beauty was not determined by the outside, but rather by the love their heart could not help but share. Incredibly, the interior seems to glow outward, making the whole human beautiful. May we ever seek the Lord to adorn our hearts with His character – love, grace, gentleness and peace, for it is such things that make us beautiful in His eyes.

May beauty and grace,

Be what’s in our hearts;

Characteristics,

In love God imparts.

For when we give grace,

God’s love is made clear;

Good overwhelming,

As gentle comes near.

Lord, help us focus,

On that which will last;

Beautiful spirits,

That show that love lasts.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that true beauty comes from within. Forgive us for the times that we have neglected to seek You to grow our heart more like Yours, or have placed our focus on the exterior, rather than on what truly lasts. Teach us to always seek and invest our hearts and time in You, so that we may more clearly reflect who You are to the world. Lead us in Your gentleness and grace to love those around us as You intended. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we seek You to increase the beauty within, and lead us to love as You love each of us. Amen.

© Shannon Elizabeth Grabrick and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present

By His breath the heavens gained their beauty… – Job 26:13a

Beauty in Gentleness and Quiet

Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight. – (1 Peter 3:4, NIV)

No, your beauty should come from inside you – the beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit. That beauty will never disappear. It is worth very much to God. – (1 Peter 3:4, ERV)

Let your adornment be what’s inside – the real you, the lasting beauty of a gracious and quiet spirit, in which God delights. – (1 Peter 3:4, VOICE)

In today’s twisted culture that has an ever-changing ideal as to what beauty is, it is critical to remember how God defines beauty. We ought to be far more concerned with our inner selves, rather than what is on the outside. To have a gentle and quiet spirit, the peace of God must be present, and our hearts need to be aligned with His. When I consider the most beautiful women I have ever known, each has had an uncompromising inner beauty that radiated from the inside out. May we ever seek the Lord to renew our hearts and minds and allow His peace and love to fill us to overflowing. As we do, the beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit will radiate from the inside out.

May our adornment,

Be from the inside;

A heart full of grace,

As Christ is our guide.

He’ll lead us in peace,

Love and gentleness;

A beauty unmatched,

Like His faithfulness.

Show us, Lord Jesus,

To love as You do;

So a lovely heart,

Displays beauty true.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that the beauty You call us to does not fade, in fact, it grows as we learn to live and love as You do. Thank You that You call us and equip us to love with a gentle and quiet spirit, for Your peace is made evident as we do. Forgive us for allowing the standards of the world to taint our perception of what beauty truly is. Show us how to see the world through Your lens, so that beautiful hearts are what we are drawn unto. Teach us to love as You do, so that our inner beauty is what blesses those around us as we love. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we seek You to lead us in gentleness and peace. Amen.

© Shannon Elizabeth Grabrick and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present

Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. – Proverbs 31:30

Together in Peace

Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble. – (1 Peter 3:8, NIV)

So all of you should live together in peace. Try to understand each other. Love each other like brothers and sisters. Be kind and humble. – (1 Peter 3:8, ERV)

Now, this is the goal: to live in harmony with one another and demonstrate affectionate love, sympathy, and kindness toward other believers. Let humility describe who you are as you dearly love one another. – (1 Peter 3:8, TPT)

Imagine what our nation would be like if we all attempted to live this way. It has to start small, and then spread outward. I love that the directive is not simply given and then just dropped. There is a clear explanation of how to make it happen. To live together in peace, we must first try to understand each other. As we actively seek to do so, we are loving each other as sisters and brothers. Additionally, kindness and humility break down barriers and remove walls that keep harmony out. Though it is a seemingly monumental task, if we begin in our own homes, our workspaces, and as we engage in our communities, we are contributing to peace, rather than dissent. May we ever seek the Lord for strength and perseverance to seek to understand one another in love, with kindness and humility, so that we may love as was intended and live in harmony with one another.

We’re all called to peace,

The result of love;

True understanding,

That’s graced from above.

When we are humble,

And choose to be kind;

Anger is diffused,

And love is aligned.

Lord, help us to seek,

To love each other;

Bring peace among us,

As sisters, brothers.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You call us to live in peace with one another. Thank You that You do not simply call or command it, but rather You give us clear and practical ways to bring harmony into our communities. Forgive us for the times that we have neglected to operate out of love. Teach us how to ever seek to understand, so that we may humbly extend kindness and treat all as beloved sisters and brothers. Show us how to love one another well, as clearly You created us for community. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we seek You to lead us in love to live in peace with each other. Amen.

© Shannon Elizabeth Grabrick and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. – Galatians 5:22-23

Together in Peace

So all of you should live together in peace. Try to understand each other. Love each other like brothers and sisters. Be kind and humble. – (1 Peter 3:8, ERV) 

Summing up: Be agreeable, be sympathetic, be loving, be compassionate, be humble. – (1 Peter 3:8, MSG) 

And now this word to all of you: You should be like one big happy family, full of sympathy toward each other, loving one another with tender hearts and humble minds. – (1 Peter 3:8, TLB) 

If only the world would follow this directive… The more we seek to understand one another, the greater our love grows for each other. This requires compassion, sympathy, humility, and love. A tender heart with the intent to love, makes friends feel like family, and brings peace to wherever they are present. Being agreeable in this way does not mean that we agree nor align with everything that those around us think or believe, but it does mean that we are willing to listen and learn so that we have compassion to for those who see the world differently than we do. Our charge is not to argue, belittle nor disavow differences, but rather to seek to understand, and above all, love. May we seek the Lord for wisdom and strength, so that we may live together in peace. Show us, Lord, how to be agreeable, sympathetic, loving, compassionate and humble towards one another. 

If we all followed, 

What God has in mind; 

We’d all be humble, 

And choose to be kind. 

The love God gives, 

Would be what is seen; 

True understanding, 

Through pure listening. 

Without agenda, 

But rather to learn; 

So compassion’s shown, 

And in love, we’d turn. 

Turn to each other, 

With love and with grace; 

Helping our neighbors, 

As peace fills this place. 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You show us and tell us what it is to love like You. Forgive us for the horrible ways that we react toward one another, rather than seeking to understand. Show us how to listen, learn, and love like You. Lead us to love those around us in ways that create community and safety and peace. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we rely on You to be agreeable, sympathetic, loving, compassionate and humble. Amen. 

© Shannon Elizabeth Grabrick and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present

And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. – Colossians 3:14

How to Love

Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble. – (1 Peter 3:8, NIV)

So all of you should live together in peace. Try to understand each other. Love each other like brothers and sisters. Be kind and humble. – (1 Peter 3:8, ERV)

Summing up: Be agreeable, be sympathetic, be loving, be compassionate, be humble. That goes for all of you, no exceptions. – (1 Peter 3:8, MSG)

 

I love how God grants us tangible examples of amazing humans in our everyday experiences to show us exactly what He means in His word. Last night, as we arrived at our hotel near midnight, we discovered that there was a major snafu with our booking through Expedia, and the hotel had no record of our reservations. The next hour and a half were spent straightening out the mess with our incredible concierge, Fontaine, here at our hotel. She went above and beyond what one would expect, and with kindness and compassion, made phone calls to Expedia, found take-out menus to a restaurant that delivered late, and gifted us refreshments as we waited. Her kindness and compassion toward us diffused our frustration, and granted us the patience, in the midst of our exhaustion, to rally. Rather than anger at the end of our ordeal, all we felt was gratitude. If that was not enough to drive the point home, this morning, as I woke early to partake in my typical routine, I discovered that my laptop was a mess, as a result of my futile attempt to download the inflight entertainment app from yesterday. My loving Viking patiently offered his assistance, and he took the time to figure out how to remove all of the junk that had consequently downloaded on my laptop, due to my failed mess brought on by an unsecured network at the airport. Mark’s kindness and patience with me, calmed my frustration and helped me remember the purpose in the first place. We are in Minnesota to love, and that ought to start from the moment I wake. God is so good. May we ever seek Him to show us best how to understand each other and love each other like brothers and sisters, in kindness and humility.

 

With a mind like Christ, 

May we choose to see;

Each other in love,

With humility.

Be compassionate,

In kindness, choose love;

Grant grace to others,

Like the Lord above.

For each time we see,

Kindness, love and grace;

We too are inspired,

To set love in place.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for Your goodness, kindness and compassion that You make tangible through those whom we meet. Thank You that every day we have the opportunity to be Your ambassadors to do the same. Forgive us for the times that we have not shown kindness, grace or compassion. Teach us to trust You more, so that we would slow down, take a deep breath, and listen to Your heart for those around us. Show us how to love those around us like sisters and brothers, in the way that You intend us to love. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we rely on You to love as we are loved. Amen.

 

© Shannon Elizabeth Grabrick and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present

 

Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. – Romans 12:10

Ever Seeking Peace

Turn away from evil and do good. Search for peace, and work to maintain it. – (1 Peter 3:11, NLT)

Stop doing what is wrong, and do good. Look for peace, and do all you can to help people live peacefully. – (1 Peter 3:11, ERV)

Say nothing evil or hurtful; snub evil and cultivate good; run after peace for all you’re worth. – (1 Peter 3:11, MSG)

 

We are called to walk away from doing wrong, and to turn to God and do the good for which we have been designed. At times this requires a searching for peace within ourselves, in order to love and live well. When we find the peace of God and do what we can to share His peace with those around us, God is glorified and the peace that surpasses all understanding, is made evident. May we turn away from evil and do good, ever seeking the peace that the Lord provides.

 

Retreat from evil,

Choose turn to do good;

As God intended,

Let’s walk as we should.

Ever seeking peace,

So that we in turn;

Share peace with others,

For His peace is learned.

It comes from within,

Despite circumstance;

For God is greater,

And peace is His plan.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that when we turn and walk away from the things that we know we ought to avoid, we discover the good that You intended all along. Thank You that as we pursue You, Your peace is present, no matter what surrounds us. Thank You that as we know Your peace, we are able to share it with those around us. Forgive us for not listening to Your leading to guide us away from that which we ought not be near, and toward the good to which You are calling. Teach us to hear Your voice and obey all that You ask, so that we do the good to which we are called, and live in Your peace that surpasses all understanding. Show us love those around us in a way that promotes Your peace through the good we choose. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we turn away from the that which steals our peace, and turn toward You and do good, ever running after the perfect peace that You provide. Amen.

 

© Shannon Elizabeth Grabrick and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present

 

The Lord gives strength to His people; the Lord blesses His people with peace. – Psalm 29:11

 

 

Clothed From Within

You should clothe yourselves instead with the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God. – (1 Peter 3:4, NLT)

No, your beauty should come from inside you – the beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit. That beauty will never disappear. It is worth very much to God. – (1 Peter 3:4, ERV)

Let your adornment be what’s inside – the real you, the lasting beauty of a gracious and quiet spirit, in which God delights. – (1 Peter 3:4, VOICE)

 

I am noticing that the older I get, the more I recognize the people I view as most “beautiful” are those from whom a gentle and quiet spirit radiates the loving kindness of our Heavenly Father. The heart adorns the external and directly influences how my eyes perceive the person before me. Beauty begins on the inside. May we ever focus on that which comes from within – the spirit placed within us that is called to be gentle and still before Him, so that we may go forth and love as we are loved by Him.

 

Let our focus be,

On beauty within;

The quiet, sweet space,

That keeps us from sin. 

The Lord God, Himself,

Delights when we’re still;

He refines in love,

By grace, shows His will.

In calm gentleness,

Let’s fix eyes on Him;

Love cleanses each heart,

And brings beauty in.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You see a quiet and gentle spirit as beautiful. Thank You that Your view of beauty is from the inside out. Thank You that You make beautiful things out of us as we choose to follow You. Forgive us for the ugliness of our selfishness and twisted perception of what truly matters. Teach us to trust You more as we quiet our hearts in stillness before You. Show us how to love those around us in a way that helps them recognize the beauty that You have created within them. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we aspire to be people that possess beautiful hearts, bearing gentle and quiet spirits toward all. Amen.

 

© Shannon Elizabeth Grabrick and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present

 

Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. – Philippians 4:5

 

 

 

 

Peace Through Understanding

Finally, all of you, have unity of spirit, sympathy, love for one another, a tender heart, and a humble mind. – (1 Peter 3:8, NRSV)

So, all of you should live together in peace. Try to understand each other. Love each other like brothers and sisters. Be kind and humble. – (1 Peter 3:8, ERV)

And now this word to all of you: You should be like one big happy family, full of sympathy toward each other, loving one another with tender hearts and humble minds. – (1 Peter 3:8, TLB)

 

We are called to live together in peace. To do so, we must try to understand one another. Understanding does not mean that we agree with every viewpoint and perspective that another holds, but rather that we hear and respect them, and choose to love as family with humility and kindness. Love is not meant to have limits. Our call is not to just love those who view the world as we do, nor show kindness to only those who are kind to us. Rather, we are invited and equipped to love others with kindness and humility, without conditions. The remarkable result of truly seeking to understand one another, is so often a new perspective and respect for that which would have not otherwise been known is discovered. God is good, and He calls us to good things. May we ever seek the Lord for wisdom and strength to love one another with tender hearts and humble minds, in such manner we may come to understand one another and live together in peace.

 

We are all called forth,

To love and be kind;

Seek understanding,

Heart, spirit and mind.

For love in this way,

Promotes lasting peace;

Sense of belonging,

Family increased.

Trust in His goodness,

Go forth in His grace;

Love with compassion,

Build lasting safe space.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You call us to live at peace with one another. Thank You that as we seek You and rely on Your grace and strength, You equip us with kindness and humility to love those around us well. Forgive us for not investing nor seeking to understand others in a way that leads to peace. Teach us to listen so others feel heard and known. Show us how to love in the same way that we are loved by You. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we seek to form family wherever we are planted, through kindness, humility and grace. Let Your lavish love show us the way. Amen.

 

 

© Shannon Elizabeth (Moreno) Grabrick and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present

 

Consider the blameless, observe the upright; a future awaits those who seek peace. – Psalm 37:37

Pay Back With Blessing

Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing. – (1 Peter 3:9, NIV)

Don’t repay evil for evil. Don’t retaliate with insults when people insult you. Instead, pay them back with blessing. That is what God had called you to do, and He will grant you His blessing. – (1 Peter 3:9, NLT)

Don’t do wrong to anyone to pay them back for doing wrong to you. Or don’t insult anyone to pay them back for insulting you. But ask God to bless them. Do this because you yourselves were chosen to receive a blessing. – (1 Peter 3:9, ERV)

 

We are called to respond in the opposite spirit when we are hurt by the words or actions of another. Though this contradicts the very nature within us, when we choose to bless when we want to curse, extend kindness when we’d rather kick, and offer hope where we’d rather return harm, so often the situation turns around and we are blessed by the outcome. Even when we are not, we can go forward knowing that we have walked in obedience with a clear conscience, rather than agonizing over what we should or should not have said or done. The ultimate outcome is in God’s hands, so we need not worry when blessing seems to do nothing to help. A prime place where this practice plays out in my life is in the classroom. When a student behaves poorly and I try to redirect with kindness and calm, identifying their strengths and abilities, often it is enough to get them to snap out of their funk and return to what is appropriate. We all have days where we choose poorly or are less than kind, and the very things that help us to reset and choose better are the blessings that come through the kindness of those around us. May we ever choose to extend blessings, even to those who wrong us, as God has chosen to give abundant blessings unto us.

 

Don’t repay evil, 

With more of the same;

Firing back insults,

Or pointing out blame.

Instead, give blessings,

To all whom you meet;

This is our calling,

Mission to complete.

As we choose to bless,

We become blessed too;

Because we’ve obeyed,

As we’re called to do.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for Your kindness and blessings unto us. Thank You that You direct and instruct us to steer clear of retaliating for the harm that people bring our way, and that instead, You arm us with strength to bless those who insult or do wrong against us. Forgive us for the times that we have repaid wrong with wrong, or returned insults instead of extending blessings. Teach us to trust You more, so that we would listen for Your voice and heed Your instruction as to how we can bless when we feel wronged, and give grace instead of retaliation. Show us how to love sincerely, even those who insult us or irritate us, as each is Your treasured creation. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we ask You to bless those who bring us pain. Amen.

© Shannon Elizabeth Moreno and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present

As you know, we consider blessed those who have persevered. – James 5:11