Peaceful Relationships
Live peaceably with all men.
Romans 12:18
By definition, a peaceful relationship cannot be one–sided. You must do your part to make sure that your side of a relationship is right. Your inner desire, with God’s help, should be to live in peace with everyone, even the most sinful, hard-to-get-along–with people.
Short of compromising the Word of God, you ought to extend yourself to great lengths to build peaceful bridges to those who persecute you and hate you. If you set aside any grudge or bitterness and from the heart completely forgive your enemies, you can honestly seek reconciliation with them.
MacArthur, J. (2001). Truth for today : A daily touch of God's grace (Page 229). Nashville, Tenn.: J. Countryman.
Lessons Learned: The body cannot fight against itself, or pain and disease will result. In the same way, christians, who make up the body of Christ cannot fight against each other, or the church is harmed. All christians must reconcile with each other when they come into conflict, or they will not be able to worship God properly. "Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift" (Mat 5:23-24). Also, to protect your testimony before unbelievers, you must be at peace and reconcile with all men, christian and non-christian alike.
Applications: Examine your relationships and see if you are in conflict with anyone. Seek reconciliation, examining yourself for sin first. "Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye" (Mat 7:3-5).
Prayer Subjects: Pray for the wisdom and humility to see where I am at fault and causing conflict. Pray that I would correct those faults and seek reconciliation with those I have sinned against and most importantly that I would repent of my sins and seek reconciliation with God. "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God" (Mat 5:9).
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Romans 12:18
By definition, a peaceful relationship cannot be one–sided. You must do your part to make sure that your side of a relationship is right. Your inner desire, with God’s help, should be to live in peace with everyone, even the most sinful, hard-to-get-along–with people.
Short of compromising the Word of God, you ought to extend yourself to great lengths to build peaceful bridges to those who persecute you and hate you. If you set aside any grudge or bitterness and from the heart completely forgive your enemies, you can honestly seek reconciliation with them.
MacArthur, J. (2001). Truth for today : A daily touch of God's grace (Page 229). Nashville, Tenn.: J. Countryman.
Lessons Learned: The body cannot fight against itself, or pain and disease will result. In the same way, christians, who make up the body of Christ cannot fight against each other, or the church is harmed. All christians must reconcile with each other when they come into conflict, or they will not be able to worship God properly. "Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift" (Mat 5:23-24). Also, to protect your testimony before unbelievers, you must be at peace and reconcile with all men, christian and non-christian alike.
Applications: Examine your relationships and see if you are in conflict with anyone. Seek reconciliation, examining yourself for sin first. "Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye" (Mat 7:3-5).
Prayer Subjects: Pray for the wisdom and humility to see where I am at fault and causing conflict. Pray that I would correct those faults and seek reconciliation with those I have sinned against and most importantly that I would repent of my sins and seek reconciliation with God. "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God" (Mat 5:9).
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