BEING A PEACEMAKER IS NO LITTLE THING
Carey Madding
Today's Scripture: “But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.” Matthew 5:44-45, ESV
Theme: Jesus teaches us to love and pray for everyone, even our enemies, following His example and as a witness to the world.
CALLED TO PEACEMAKING
The Cove Church has a Peacemaking Team. We are committed to pursuing reconciliation, restoration, and peace. It is amazing to be used by God to restore a family, a marriage, a friendship, or a team... because conflict and chaos doesn’t just go away on its own. God uses His people to facilitate grace and forgiveness.
AT AN IMPASSE
Sometimes, after all the self-examination, apologies, and attempts to make restoration, there is no real reconciliation. You may ask for forgiveness, but it is not always granted. What do you do then? How do you move forward if there is no healing?
DOUBLE CHECK
When reconciliation appears impossible, be sure you have done all you can to pursue peace. “Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, ‘Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord’” (Romans 12:17-19, ESV). “As far as it depends on you.” Ask yourself and a trusted friend one more time: Have I done all God has asked me to do to reconcile this relationship? Do I sense His forgiveness, if not theirs? Do I have His permission to walk away in His peace?
NEXT, PROCEED GENEROUSLY
If so, our verses for the day give us instruction on what to do next, straight from Jesus. Love your enemies. Pray for them. This is how you live out the grace of God which has been given to you. In other passages, we are told to basically “kill them with kindness.”
“If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat,
and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink,
for you will heap burning coals on his head,
and the Lord will reward you.” Proverbs 25:21-22, ESV
FINALLY, GUARD YOUR HEART
The specific actions above will change our hearts, if not theirs. Furthermore, God asks us to ruthlessly rid our lives of bitterness, anger, and wrath. Wishing them harm, even if we don’t participate, or gloating over their failures, is a warning sign that all is not right in our hearts. Make this your guiding Scripture: “Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive” (Colossians 3:12-13, ESV).
Make It Personal: As a believer, you are called to peace. You are also called to be a peacemaker. Where do you see an opportunity to step into the chaos and bring mercy and grace? If you are in a personal conflict, seek coaching. Begin to examine yourself instead of blaming the other person. If you have tried to resolve the problem, ask a trusted counselor to help. If there are irreconcilable differences, chose to honor God by acting as Jesus instructed: pray, forgive, do good to those who you consider enemies.
Pray: Lord, I hear You say that “blessed are the peacemakers,” but do You mean me? Am I to pursue peace in THAT relationship? Am I to be an active peacemaker in others’ lives? Show me how to do that. Help me to desire and pursue training. Help me see opportunities to help others show grace. And Lord, You know there are unresolved issues that are beyond my ability to repair. I give these to You. I release my anger and bitterness. I ask Your forgiveness for my part, just as I have asked their forgiveness. I am praying for my “enemy” and asking You to bless and heal them and their hearts. I am willing to do whatever You direct me to do...in that situation or in any other. In Your Name I pray. Amen.
Read: Hebrews 12:14-15; Matthew 7:12, 5:9, 5:21-24
Weekly Memory Verse: “I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.” John 15:5, ESV