Romans 12: Part 21
After telling us to "be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone", Paul goes on to write "If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone" in verse 18.
After all this time of giving reminders that Paul (or Jesus or whoever was speaking) did NOT give qualifiers to their command, we have qualifiers with this command! The base command is "live at peace with everyone", but it is preceded by two qualifiers, "If it is possible," and "as far as it depends on you,".
Paul knows that sometimes we will try to live at peace with everyone, but we can't control other people. We can only control ourselves and our responses. We can't make another person happy or sad, but we can treat them well or poorly. We are responsible for our emotions and our responses, and other people are responsible for their emotions and their responses.
Yet, we shouldn't be hasty in writing off large groups of people as "impossible to live at peace with". Paul didn't say "live at peace with everyone from your nation". Everyone is broader than that. Paul didn't say "live at peace with everyone who shares your religion or political affiliations". Everyone is broader than that. It is our human nature, not our spiritual nature, that tries to limit our definition of "everyone".
But throughout the Bible, God has been broadening our definition of a neighbor, of those we care for, of those we love. So instead of just loving those we like, those who look like us, those who share similar religious or political ties, let us love everyone. Let us love the foreigner just as well as we love the native-born. Let us live at peace with people of different religions and political parties, just as well as we live at peace within our own clique. Let us pray for those who mistreat us and mock us, just as much as we pray for those we like and love.
But if we can, if it is in our power to do so, we should live at peace with everyone. This verse doesn't come with a promise. Paul doesn't add "and I guarantee you won't be hurt, mocked, killed, or taken advantage of". But we can choose to love our enemies, even when we are being mocked. We can pray for our persecutors, even when we are being threatened. We can pray for those asking for help, even when we doubt their sincerity.
Questions to Wrestle With
Take time this week to consider:
-How do you do with the base command "live at peace with everyone"?
-How often do you think it is impossible to live at peace with a group of people?
-How much does living at peace with everyone depend on you? What is in your control when it comes to living at peace with everyone?
-How do you tend to narrow down "everyone" so you just live at peace with those you like, who look like you, or who believe like you?
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
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