“It is to one’s honor to avoid strife, but every fool is quick to quarrel.” (Prov. 20:3) We must put an end, wherever possible, to stop quarreling and fighting! Because it’s not pleasing to God who says, “Repay no one evil for evil. If it is possible, as much as depends on you, LIVE PEACEABLY WITH ALL MEN.” (Rom. 12:17-18) Peace is too precious, “Blessed are the peacemakers, For they shall be called sons of God.” (Matt. 5:9) Peacemaking must also take place within us as we bring all the aspects of our existence into harmony with our spiritual activities and resolve all inner conflicts and contradictions, especially in relation to our seeking INTIMACY WITH GOD. A righteous person will do their best to end conflict and strife. Love and unity are godly and profitable for all. Are you a peacemaker? Do you hate quarrels, strife, and trouble? Do you love quietness, peace, and harmony? Let’s, with God’s help, end every conflict we can.
What really is peace? The Lord Jesus said: “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth give I unto you” (John 14:27). The world’s peace means nothing more than the absence of armed conflict. But all the ambition, greed, selfishness, and hatred that cause war STILL REMAIN. For the world does not know real peace–only a non-occurrence of war. And there is not very much thought at all of the real inner peace of mind and heart that we can have. The peace of Christ–which is the peace referred to in the above Beatitude–is harmony and balance wherein there is no conflict at all, or even the possibility of conflict. It is the harmony of perfect unity beyond the ever-shifting contrasts of our relative existence on this earth, even as we move through those conflicts.
“You (Abba Father) will keep in PERFECT PEACE ALL WHO TRUST IN YOU, all whose thoughts are fixed on you! Trust in the LORD ALWAYS, for the LORD GOD is the eternal Rock.” (Isa. 26:3-4) The Hebrew word for peace, shalom, refers to harmony, wholeness, prosperity, and welfare. We see this richer meaning of peace in (Mark 5:34) when Jesus heals the woman with the issue of bleeding: “…He said to her, ‘Daughter, your faith has made you well; GO IN PEACE, and be healed of your disease.’” She walked away after encountering the Savior with restored wholeness, prosperity and welfare. She finally, after many years, RECEIVED PEACE.
-Bill Stockham