Just A Thought

 Every week this guy comes to our neighborhood making a considerable racket. I don’t know his name, and he doesn’t seem to come at the same time of the day. But he slams things around so violently that you can hear him for blocks. Many times he will cause a ruckus for 20 or 30 minutes. I’m sure everyone in the neighborhood hears it. It’s a disturbance of the peace! There have been times when he has added insult to injury by revving his engine (he drives a very large truck) and honking his horn. To make matters worse, since our road is rough, his rig rambles and clanks and roars through our usually quiet neighborhood - to the point that everyone is impacted.

This commotion has been taking place regularly for years. But, to my knowledge, no one has ever called the authorities. In fact, to be honest, people are actually paying him to do it. Even I fall into that category. The “guy” I referred to is the garbage man. Or to be more politically correct, the sanitation collector. Everyone in the neighborhood understands that we can’t have our garbage picked up unless we are willing to give up a few minutes of quiet time each week. 

This is a principle that can be applied to many things in life. Scripture put it like this in Proverbs 14:4 (nlt): “Without oxen a stable stays clean, but you need a strong ox for a large harvest.” In other words, there are some realities in life that we just need to accept.

Practically speaking, we all would do well to make our peace with things in life that are unpleasant but necessary:   

·      We can’t have a garden without tilling, planting, watering and weeding. 

·      We can’t have a good marriage or family life without sacrifice, hard work and selflessness.

·      We can’t even be eternally saved without denying ourselves, picking up our cross and following Jesus.

Making peace with life and making peace with God are synonymous for believers. Most of mankind’s history has been plagued with situations where man was not willing to live life as God designed. But if one can make their peace with God and with the path that He allows them to walk, they will experience a peace and a joy that makes that life far more enjoyable and fruitful.

While there are times to fight, and times to persevere for things we desire, there are also times to accept the inevitable and learn to live at peace with things over which we have no control. For those who are wondering when to fight and when to rest, I would recommend a consultation with God and His Handbook. God didn’t promise life would be easy; He just promised to be a good Heavenly Father. He is faithful, and He has prepared an eternal place for those stay close to Him and trust Him, as they journey through this broken world. I have found that a daily talk with Him helps me find perspective and make peace with life - in real time.

# posted by John W. Hanson @ Saturday, September 27, 2025