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No place is this more evident than in the statements the Bible makes about our relationships. For instance, in the book of Hebrews, we read these words: "Make every effort to live at peace with all men" (Hebrews 12:14).
The Bible is very frank with us when it says that living at peace with others is going to take a lot of hard work and effort on our part. In other words, peace in relationships isn't just going to happen. I say that because in the original language of the New Testament, which is Greek, the phrase "make every effort" suggests an intense struggle, much like a gladiator in the ancient world going into that arena to fight. That gladiator understands that unless he makes every effort to win, he may lose his life.
God is saying that if we don't do everything possible to seek reconciliation and peace with others, then there is the potential for important relationships that He wants to use in our lives to die.
That's a pretty heavy dose of reality. So maybe this thought has already occurred to you: If it's going to take this much effort to make and keep the peace, why should I bother trying to be a peacemaker?
That's a great question, and the answer is that the payoff for being a peacemaker is so incredible it's worth all the effort we make to achieve it. In His famous Sermon on the Mount, Jesus gave us the "bottom line" of the matter with this promise: "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God" (Matthew 5:9).
The word "blessed" means to be "happy" - not in the trivial sense, but to be fulfilled, to be in God's favor. That's a great benefit in itself, but there's more in the word "called." Here in Matthew 5:9, it refers to a person who is summoned to partake of the blessings of redemption.
This means that real peace begins not with people, but with God. A person who is in a right relationship with God through forgiveness of sins and redemption in Jesus Christ is at peace in the most important relationship of life. The effort you and I have to make to enjoy this peace is simply to come to God as we are, admit that we have done things to offend Him, and accept His offer of forgiveness in Christ. And the great thing about this is that it always works, because the Bible says that God is actually seeking to be at peace with us.
When we are peace with God, making peace in our human relationships becomes easier. Jesus said that peacemakers are blessed because they enjoy the blessings that only unity with God and with others can bring into their lives. In other words, peace is worth the price.
Jim Graff is the Senior Pastor of Faith Family Church in Victoria, Texas. www.faithfamilyvictoria.com.