A New Peace - The One Year Salt and Light Devotional

Romans 12:17-18

Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone. (Romans 12:18)

FEW OF THE EARLY LEADERS OF the Reformation had any intention of breaking with the Catholic Church. Their intention, as the name of the historical period suggests, was to reform, not to divide. They had strong convictions about the way things ought to be and voiced them—usually respectfully, at least in the early years—with the hopes of maintaining the integrity of their existing relationships.

That tension of being who we are and believing what we believe without turning our beliefs into a battlefield is also a common experience today. We feel the pressure to choose between peace and war. Some among us relish the opportunity to provoke a fight, while others feel they cannot be at peace with the world without compromising their values. Somewhere in between is a biblical response—a Jesus response—that puts the initiative for peace in our hands without requiring us to conform to others’ expectations. As some translations of Romans 12:18 put it, “If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all” (ESV). In other words, we have to do our part to create an atmosphere of peace.

But try as we might, sometimes we can’t. Many people were not at peace with Jesus because he would not compromise his message. These conflicts, however, were never from any lack in Jesus’ desire to bless and restore. He spoke words of forgiveness even to his fiercest persecutors. He welcomed all who came to him. He spoke “the truth in love” (Ephesians 4:15).

That’s the balance we seek—the wisdom to speak truth while expressing love, as well as the humility to receive truth from others, whether it’s expressed in love or not. Winning hearts is far more important than winning arguments, and when relationships become our focus, speaking the truth as we understand it becomes a lot more effective. In your renewed vision of the people around you, create an atmosphere of peace without compromising who you are. Do all that you can to bring into every relationship the culture of the Kingdom of God.

{Holy Spirit, my prayer is that you would so fill my heart with peace that I exude it and impart it to others. Make my life, my attitude, my demeanor a safe place for everyone, even when we are discussing hard truths. Give me an inviting temperament. Amen.