“Dry Crusts Are Better Than…”

It’s your anniversary dinner!  You’ve been looking forward to this for weeks.  You and your spouse dress nicely and head to your favorite restaurant.  No need for a menu.  The two of you have already decided what you’d like to order.  And when the waiter comes to take your order, you glance at one another and say…

“We’d like a dry crust, please.”

What?  Would anyone choose to dine on a dry crust for their anniversary?  Would anyone choose to dine on a dry crust anytime?  Aren’t dry crusts usually fed to birds at the pond?  Nobody would choose to eat a dry crust.  And yet, if there’s peace in that marriage, dining on dry crusts would be better than many other alterntives.

God tells us that it’s more important to have peace than luxury.  “Better a dry crust with peace and quiet than a house full of feasting with strife (Proverbs 17:1).”  The goal isn’t to live a life of luxury – and who cares if there’s strife?  The goal is to live a life of peace – and who cares if there’s luxury?

So…how do you capture peace for your house?  Be quick to listen and slow to speak.  Be comfortable owning your share of mistakes, and be ready to apologize when you’ve made them.  Freely offer forgiveness when others make mistakes, as freely as Christ has offered forgiveness to you for everything.  Spend more time talking about Jesus and his promises in your home than you spend talking about the things that money can buy.  You’ll be so peaceful and content, your dry crust will taste better than the angry person’s steak dinner.

Prayer:  Lord God, you are the giver of every good gift in my life.  Yet, in my sin, I am often unsatisfied with what you’ve given me.  Sometimes I long for more luxury rather than more peace in you.  Turn my selfish heart away from the material possessions that others might have.  Help me to rejoice in the abundant blessings you’ve provided me.  Lead me to love the peace you have provided, and to see that peace as priceless and valuable.  Because you are my eternal Savior, set my heart on things above, not things below.   It’s in Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.