Romans 12:18 says, “If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.” We’ve all heard this verse. I for one am convinced I live by this verse. After all, all my conflicts are someone else’s fault, right? But Matthew 7:1-5 says I should be more concerned about the log in my own eye than the speck in yours. Maybe I need to dig a little deeper and examine myself a little more closely.
How can I dig deeper? How can I be sure that as much as it depends on me, I really am living peaceably with all? I Peter 3:8-9 provides the six point plan.
Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind. Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing.
So, here are the steps:
- Unity of mind: Remember that the goal of your relationships is harmony.
- Sympathy: Seek first to understand, then to be understood.
- Brotherly love: Let brotherly love govern your behavior always.
- A tender heart: Show compassion, don’t take vengeance.
- A humble mind: Don’t think more highly of yourself than you ought to think.
- Do not repay evil for evil…: Do all of this even when others don’t.
There it is. If I’m taking these six steps, then I can truly say that as much as it depends on me, I am living at peace with all people.
If you’d like to dig deeper on this, check out the sermon I preached yesterday on this very topic. You can find the outline and the audio right here.
Let me know what you do to maintain peace with all as much as depends on you by commenting below.
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