A Wife and Strife

(Proverbs 27:16 KJV)  Whosoever hideth her hideth the wind, and the ointment of his right hand, which bewrayeth itself.

The simple message that comes through here is that there is nothing you can do to control, help or reform some people.  Here the reference is to a nagging wife.  I would assume that the principle would apply to other people also.

There is a place in the New Testament where we get some advice about how to respond to this type of person.

(1 Peter 3:8-9 NAS77)  To sum up, let all be harmonious, sympathetic, brotherly, kindhearted, and humble in spirit; not returning evil for evil, or insult for insult, but giving a blessing instead; for you were called for the very purpose that you might inherit a blessing.

What is interesting, and rarely pointed out, is that this is also in the context of a wife.  The point is that love goes the extra mile, turns the other cheek, etc.  It is the way we are called to live and respond.

So?  When someone goes after you, don’t respond in kind.  This is hard to do but necessary.  It doesn’t seem to “work” but it is obedience.  This is an area where living in faith is a struggle.