SPLITTING STUFF UP

     “Why would they be putting in a nursery?” Stella Peterson kept asking her self, “Is their mom going to have another baby?” And the more she pondered the questions the more curious she became until she decided she needed to get to the bottom of this and took off for the Miller house. Before she could even get to the front door, Mindy came running at her screaming “HELP!! HELP!! HELP!!”

     “What's wrong, Mindy?” Stella asked as she was plowed into. “Its MOM” Mindy said, “She keeps siding with Cindy.” “Siding with Cindy?” Stella said, “What are you talking about?” “We're trying to divide up our stuff and MOM keeps siding with Cindy.” “And that's a problem?” Stella asked. “It is when she keeps letting her have all the neat stuff.” Mindy replied.

     “Like what?” Stella asked. “Like all the stuff that is actually mine.” Cindy answered running up to them. “And don't believe a word Mindy tells you.” “It is not yours!” Mindy said. “It is too.” Cindy answered back, “And Mom even agrees with me.” “That's because she likes you best.” Mindy snorted “Probably because you’re such a neat freak and take care of all your stuff.”

     “Well,” Cindy said, “If you would take care of your stuff, maybe you would have something to claim as your own.” “So, who's stuff is it?” Stella asked, “Is it yours, Mindy or is it Cindy's?” “Well, I use it sometimes.” Mindy started to say. “Only because yours is broke.” Cindy said cutting her off. “So what.” Mindy said, “I don't care.”

     “That's just the problem.” Cindy said, “You don't care. I tell you what. I have an idea. Why don't I just give you all my stuff.” “What”? Mindy and Stella said in unison. “What are you plotting?” Stella tacked on. “I just got to thinking.” Mindy said, “Stuff only crowds up my room, besides I don’t use most of the stuff, so I’ll just give it to you so we can live in peace.”

      “Oh no you don’t.” Mindy shouted “I insist.” Cindy said politely, “Besides, we need to get our old room cleaned out for Mom to make her nursery.” “There you go talking about a nursery again.” Stella said when she heard that, “Is your mom having a baby?”

      “No.” Cindy said, “Our mom is going into daycare.” “And to think Cindy thought Mom was going to have a baby.” Mindy tacked on. “You thought she was too.” Cindy said. “Did not.” Mindy added, “Did too.” Cindy snapped back. “You both did.” Stella injected, “And I guess I did too.”

     “By the way, Mindy,” Cindy said, “Mom said you need to go finish cleaning.” “What do you have left to clean, Cindy?” Stella asked, “Oh, I'm done.” Cindy said, “I'm heading to the park. Do you want to go with me?” “Sure.” Stella said and the Cindy and here took off running and skipping to the park. “Oh, no you don't!” Mindy hollered after them, “Get back here. I'm not going to let you get away that easy.”

      And Abimelech said, "Behold, my land is before you; dwell where it pleases you." - Genesis 20:15 (ESV)

     Abraham had traveled to Gerar where he had caused problems for Abimelech. Once the problem was solved, Abimelech let Abraham stay. While there, Sarah gave birth to Isaac but now Abimelech comes back and another problem needs to be solved.

      At that time Abimelech and Phicol the commander of his army said to Abraham, "God is with you in all that you do. Now therefore swear to me here by God that you will not deal falsely with me or with my descendants or with my posterity, but as I have dealt kindly with you, so you will deal with me and with the land where you have sojourned." And Abraham said, "I will swear." When Abraham reproved Abimelech about a well of water that Abimelech's servants had seized, Abimelech said, "I do not know who has done this thing; you did not tell me, and I have not heard of it until today." So Abraham took sheep and oxen and gave them to Abimelech, and the two men made a covenant. Abraham set seven ewe lambs of the flock apart. And Abimelech said to Abraham, "What is the meaning of these seven ewe lambs that you have set apart?" He said, "These seven ewe lambs you will take from my hand, that this may be a witness for me that I dug this well." Therefore that place was called Beersheba, because there both of them swore an oath. So they made a covenant at Beersheba. Then Abimelech and Phicol the commander of his army rose up and returned to the land of the Philistines. Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beersheba and called there on the name of the LORD, the Everlasting God. And Abraham sojourned many days in the land of the Philistines.

Genesis 21:22-34 (ESV)

     Like Cindy, Like Abraham, sometimes we need to take the initiative and make peace, we need to work to solve problems. To solve problems we should...

• Use wisdom as Solomon did – 1 Kings 3:16-28 tells how he used wisdom to solve the problem of which of two women was a baby's true mother.
• Work Together as the Apostles and Elders did - Acts 15:1-29 tells of a problem that revolved around rules that should be followed and how the Apostles and Elders got together to solve the problem.
• Solve it quickly as Jesus taught – Matthew 5:23-26, part of the Sermon on The Mount, tells tells how we should solve problems quickly, before things get worse.
• Be humble and think of others as better than self - Philippians 2:3 Don't be selfish; don't live to make a good impression on others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourself. (NLT)
• Strive for peace - Romans 12:18 Do your part to live in peace with everyone, as much as possible. (NLT)

     Here's Something To Ponder

• In what ways do you work toward peace?
• In what ways do you stop peace from happening?