Key to Living at Peace with All People

“If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone” (Romans 12:18).

Someone is going to royally offend, irritate, and hurt you.

This is not a matter of “if” but “when”. This is a human condition. Because we are all finite and selfish human beings, someone will offend, irritate, and hurt us.

That’s where the verse of the day comes into play.

“Live at peace with everyone.”

That we like. Every Christian should strive to live at peace with everyone.

Easier said than done.

There is probably no other verse with as many conditional clauses as this one.

• If it is possible
• As far as it depends on you
• Live at peace with everyone

If it is possible. As far as it depends on you. There are some people who are just flat out jerks, and there’s not much we can do about jerks. Jerks will be jerks. But, for the most part, the conditional clauses apply because there are very few people who are jerks 100% of the time.

What does the Apostle Paul mean by “If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone”?

Here’s how we can live at peace with everyone. When you are offended, irritated, and hurt by someone tell yourself, “I know this person is not a jerk all the time,” therefore:

• I trust that you want to live at peace too
• I trust that you did not intentionally do that to hurt me
• So, I am going to give you the benefit of the doubt

We have to give each other this space and time. If we jump on each other every time we are hurt, we’re going to only perpetuate the hurt and misunderstanding. Give people the benefit of the doubt. We all need that because sometimes we can be jerks too.

If someone intentionally hurts you, you don’t need them in your life. They are jerks. But, remember there are very few people who are jerks all the time.

Be a people of grace. Be a peace makers.

“If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.”