1 Chronicles 19:7: “So [the Ammonites] hired for themselves thirty-two thousand chariots, with the king of Maacah and his people, who came and encamped before Medeba. Also the people of Ammon gathered together from their cities, and came to battle.”

September 7th, 2023 by Pastor Ed in devotional

The Ammonites misunderstood when King David sent ambassadors to them after their king died. They assumed Israel was about to attack their nation, and so they prepared for war. But in fact, David was only trying to honor their dead king. The Ammonites also hired armed forces from the Syrian nation to help them, which escalated the tension further. This chapter is a fascinating study in the danger of jumping too quickly to conclusions and failing to take the time to try and avoid misunderstandings. All the warfare described here was because of a simple misunderstanding.

When we find ourselves facing a conflict, we need to pray, think, and move slowly before we answer. The wisdom of Proverbs 15:1, “A soft answer turns away wrath, / But a harsh word stirs up anger,” is what is needed more often in our lives than a show of strength. We have a choice to make about how we will respond in tense situations. We can choose to answer gently or harshly. By answering harshly, we assume much and automatically worsen the circumstances. The fire is already burning; will we choose to add more fuel or add water. Adding fuel will always make things worse, and we may find we are never able to fully recover from such a blaze.

In 1931, a large statue of Jesus Christ was completed high in the Andes, on the border between Argentina and Chile. Called “Christ of the Andes,” the statue represented a pledge between the 2 countries that as long as the statue stood, there would be peace between Chile and Argentina. However, shortly after the statue was erected, the Chileans began to protest that they had been slighted because the statue had its back to Chile. Just when tempers were at their highest, a Chilean journalist saved the day. In an editorial that not only satisfied the people but also made them laugh, he said simply, “The people of Argentina need more watching over than the Chileans.” A soft answer successfully turned away wrath.

“LORD, help us to practice this today as we represent You before a world caught in darkness.”