“If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another…”
~Galatians 5:25-26~

One of my favorite proverbs when I was little was Proverbs 15:1, “A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.” I love the proverbs because they’re so relatable to my life, like someone literally has handed me a guidebook. I see myself in them and see others and also see how I am supposed to be with them and not be. I have neglected the study of God’s words, relying more on worldly advice.

We drive to church in good spirits, the kids in the back of the car minus one. It’s Rally Day for the Sunday School. An announcement is made about trying to get families together for the fall festival again. And then another is made about the survey in the bulletin. Where would you like to serve? Where would you like to be plugged in? I woke up with different things on my mind: how to no longer experience these debilitating setbacks because of this reason. If we could only get this down, but how? I cannot remove myself from this equation. I cannot walk like this alone.

The Galatians verse stands out during church. There’s no need for blame when we’re walking like this, no “if only you wouldn’t or if only you would…”, instead, there’s only “Let us not become conceited, provoking one another”. He takes the fight work out of trying to figure out whose sin comes first, whose fault holds us back, and he shows us where to walk, in step, how to say to one another eye to eye, “let us live…”