Choosing Peace
Choosing Peace
If possible, on your part, live at peace with everyone. (Rom. 12:18)
Walk the Path of Peace
Some people want to be cantankerous. They have a chip on their shoulder. They are looking for a fight. You find them in the workplace, at school, and even in the church. We can’t keep them from being that way, but we can choose how to respond. In today’s verse the apostle Paul says we should try to live at peace with everyone. That can mean giving up the right to get in an argument even when you know you are right—even when you can prove it! It takes wisdom to know when making your point is useful to the other person and when it just feeds more conflict.
Draw Healthy Boundaries
Just because someone is fishing for a fight doesn’t mean you need to take the bait! Instead of reacting immediately, take a deep breath and pray for that person who is sadly trapped in a destructive habit of picking fights to feed some unsanctified inner compulsion for conflict. You can choose not to energize that person.
But note that Paul says to avoid unnecessary conflict “if possible.” Sometimes it is not possible. The other person is simply out-of-bounds in word or action. In that case be assertive, be direct, and be tough. You do not have to let anyone violate personal boundaries. Indeed, letting someone walk all over you might only be feeding their sin habit. But generally speaking, as much as possible, strive to live in peace with all men.
Bottom Line
What if you were to consistently think of yourself as a peacemaker? It would change things, wouldn’t it? Well, God says you are a peacemaker.