Key Bible Verse: Do your part to live in peace with everyone, as much as possible (Romans 12:18). Bonus Reading: Philemon 1-25

First-century businessman Philemon may have treated his servant Onesimus in ways that fractured their relationship. Or maybe Onesimus simply longed to run his own life. Whatever the case, Paul urged Philemon [in Philemon 1-25] to restore their broken relationship.

Some people do things that break the peace. If we've seen our peacemaking efforts collapse, we may wonder, Why should I expend a lot of effort trying to make peace between people who aren't interested? Two reasons: First, "as members of one body you are called to live in peace" (Colossians 3:15). Second, "God wants his children to live in peace" (1 Corinthians 7:15). God has made peace with those who are His children, and deeply desires that they shouldn't be known as contentious people, but as peacemakers. This is reason enough to expend the energy.

[Romans 12:18 recognizes that] some won't respond to our peacemaking overtures. Even Jesus didn't succeed with those totally opposed to Him; but that didn't deter Him. His responsibility was to reach out. They were responsible for their own failure to respond.

—Stuart Briscoe in The One Year Book of Devotions for Men

My Response: What overture do I need to make to breach a strained relationship?

Thought to Apply: I have never known the Spirit of God to work where the Lord's people are divided. —DWIGHT L. MOODY (evangelist)

Adapted from The One Year Book of Devotions for Men (Tyndale, 2000) by permission.

Prayer for the Week

Give me the love it takes, Lord Jesus, to live in harmony with the people You died for.

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