50 Days Devotional September 15, 2014 Romans 12:18 If it is possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men. Romans 12:18 One of the first questions this verse brings to mind is: What does it mean to be at peace with men? I believe Paul meant that we should try our best to avoid and/or stop any quarrel or tensions between us and any other person, which is impossible without forgiveness. Some people are much easier to live at peace with than others. If we look at this passage in context, earlier in the chapter Paul is telling the Roman believers to work together as the body of Christ, even though they each have different roles in the church. However, he isn’t just talking about getting along with other Christians. In Romans 12:20 he says, “If your enemy is hungry, feed him, and if he is thirsty, give him a drink.” I definitely find it easier to get along with people who are nice to me. Some other people are just rude and seemingly unlovable so they try my patience more. When I was younger, my little sister and I used to fight all the time. I would feel bad later and apologize, but she would never tell me she was sorry which infuriated me. Being the more moral person that I was, I decided that I just wouldn’t hang out with her anymore. This didn’t bring either of us peace because we would inevitably see each other in the house and bitter feelings would surface. I knew from my mom that I should forgive her, but I didn’t want to because she was in the wrong and should suffer, right? It’s easy to feel that way towards people who have hurt me even more than my little sister did, but avoiding someone doesn’t necessarily mean I’m living at peace with them. To stop the tension between us and another person, we need to give our relationship with them up to God. Something I try to remember is that everyone is made in God’s image, and even more, God sent His Son to die for every person on the planet. It’s hard because we see our pain here and now, but by holding grudges we keep ourselves from growing in the Lord and miss opportunities to witness to our enemies who are probably hurting themselves and needing God’s love. By forgiving, we will, “not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good,” (Rom. 12:21). I pray that you will look to God and remember all of the many sins He has forgiven you for and realize you owe Him a bigger debt than your enemy owes you. I pray that you will have the boldness to forgive, even if you get nothing in return but the peace of God that transcends all understanding. Melody White Taylor University
Posted on: Mon, 15 Sep 2014 10:08:44 +0000
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