Our theme for this month: “Take care of each other”
Our Bible verse for today: “If possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.” Romans 12:18 (CSB)
Our thought for today: “Be a peacemaker”
As a child, teenager, and young adult, I had an anger problem. I had a simmering rage bottled up inside of me and sometimes it would erupt for little or no good reason. I was easily provoked and would sometimes explode over the silliest things. It made life difficult for my parents, for my brothers and sisters, and later in life, for my wife and children.
Fortunately as I got older I mellowed and my anger became less of a problem. And then, thirty years ago, when the Holy Spirit of God finally got ahold of me and started developing the fruit of the Spirit in me (Galatians 5:22-23), love and joy and peace and patience began to replace the anger and the offense.
I’ve discovered in the years since then that it’s a lot more pleasant (for me and for everyone around me) to live in peace than in anger and conflict. In fact, I’ve learned that one of the greatest acts of blessing I can offer to others is to be an agent of peace, to be a peacemaker. Instead of being easily offended or quickly angered, it’s much better to be the one who does not easily take offense and who is seldom angered. The truth is that most things aren’t important enough to get angry over or to be offended about. Even most things you disagree with aren’t important enough to risk a confrontation. I believe that how able we are to simply let unimportant things go is a measure of our spiritual maturity.
In Romans 12:18 the Apostle Paul encouraged us to strive for peace in our relationships with others. He acknowledged that sometimes it’s not possible to live at peace with everyone – sometimes there are issues that have to be addressed, and sometimes other people simply will not let you to be at peace with them. But if it is possible, then as far as it is up to you, work for peace.
When it comes to taking care of others one of the most helpful things you can do is to be an agent of peace, someone who brings peace and stability into relationships rather than anger and strife. I encourage you to help make everyone’s lives better by being the one who strives for peace. Be a peacemaker.
Oak Hill Baptist Church