The Secret of Longevity

Do any of you want to live a life that is long and good? Then watch your tongue! Keep your lips from evil and do good. Work hard at living in peace with others. Psalm 34:12-14

My wife is a hard worker. She gets into the flowerbed and attacks weeds with will. Sweating and dirty, she yanks them out of the ground as though they had personally attacked her. Perhaps in invading her beloved gardens, they did.

As we think of the conflicts we have in our town, our church and family, it’s good to be reminded that peace is not an easy thing, but something that must be struggled for. Dealing with conflict should be like weeding. It’s easier to deal with it daily than to wait and do it all at once. If you wait too long, the roots get entangled and it’s harder to tell where the bad stuff ends and the good stuff begins. The stress builds and our hearts begin to pound. We try to put things off because we hate conflict but this only makes the day of reckoning that much worse. It is all too easy to let things slide, to allow tensions to build until the only way they can be relieved is in an explosion that does more harm than good.

But God’s voice is calm – persevere, bear one another’s burdens, be patient with one another’s infirmities of body or character. And when the “thorns of contention” arise in daily life, daily forgive, and be willing to accept forgiveness. We are told in Ephesians 4:26-27 “Don’t sin by letting anger gain control over you. Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry, for anger gives a mighty foothold to the Devil.” Thank God He didn’t say, “Don’t sin by getting angry”! It’s hard to control the circumstances or the things people say that anger us. What He does say is “Don’t sin by letting it control you.” Just how do we do that? We keep the devil in check by dealing with it that day, before we go to bed. Yank the bitter roots of pride and contention out of your heart. Nip the situation right in the bud.

When you “deal with the situation” however, remember that you are not the center of the universe. Watch your tongue and keep your lips from evil. Think deeply and speak rarely. Listen much and gain wisdom. Perhaps that person who is criticizing you is revealing a kernel of truth.

Let each day begin with the thought of your impending death. Live each day as though it were your last. Only then will you find that for which you seek – a long and peaceful life.