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Live. Pray. Love. Bible in a Year : Psalms 123–125; 1 Corinthians 10:1–18 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. Romans 12:21 Romans 12:9–21 Influenced by parents who were strong believers in Jesus, track star Jesse Owens lived as a courageous man of faith. During the 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin, Owens, one of the few African Americans on the US team, received four gold medals in the presence of hate-filled Nazis and their leader, Hitler. He also befriended fellow athlete Luz Long, a German. Surrounded by Nazi propaganda, Owens’s simple act of living out his faith impacted Luz’s life. Later, Long wrote to Owens: “That hour in Berlin when I first spoke to you, when you had your knee upon the ground, I knew you were in prayer . . . . I think I might believe in God.” Owens demonstrated how believers can answer the apostle Paul’s charge to “hate what is evil” and be “devoted to one another in love” (Romans 12:9–10). Though he could have responded to the evil around him with hate, Owens chose to live by faith and show love to a man who would later become his friend and eventually consider belief in God. As God’s people commit to being “faithful in prayer” (v. 12), He empowers us to “live in harmony with one another” (v. 16). When we depend on prayer, we can commit to living out our faith and loving all who are made in God’s image. As we cry out to God, He’ll help us break down barriers and build bridges of peace with our neighbors. Reflect & Pray How can you build a bridge of peace between you and a neighbor? When have you seen your faithfulness in prayer bear fruit? Heavenly Father, please strengthen us to come together in prayer, fully committed to loving others and living peacefully. 
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Sometimes, it isn't what we say or do, it's what we don't. The world expects retaliation, it's best to not and be in prayer about the situation and let God do the work. Many years ago, we did not have a good relationship with a farmer who farmed a field near us. As time went on, he farmed more and more fields around us, and then he bought a neighboring home. There was always an undercurrent of animosity between us. After my husband died, I was determined to hang on to our little 3 acres here, even though another man, who owned the land behind us, wanted to annex it into the field surrounding it. I spent much time in prayer over the situation and watched God work! The farmer came when we had a zoning hearing, and offered me some good advice. Then, he contacted a bulldozer contractor who came and gave me a good estimate, and when it was time to reseed the ground, he brought his equipment and prepared the soil. As we walked the land, scattering the seed, this scripture came to mind. "When our ways are pleasing to the Lord, He makes even our enemies be at peace with us." Be a prism, spreading God's light and love, not a mirror reflecting the world's hatred.
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