There’s an awkward bit in Galatians that’s easy to skip over. Paul writes up a list of things the world does, that children of God aren’t made for. And it’s easy to agree with him, right until the end: ‘idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions’ (Galatians 5:20 ESV). Divisions. Staying distant from people, shunning them for what they’ve done or who they are. It’s up there with being involved in pagan worship and wizardry, according to Paul. And yet, uncomfortably, it’s a sin we find a lot easier to slip into. But the Bible says, instead, we’re to ‘seek, inquire for… crave peace and pursue (go after) it!’ (Psalm 34:14 AMPC). People of God actively work to make peace happen. We’re fired up by the idea of peace. And when it isn’t there, we grieve its absence. What might that look like for you? Maybe peace has to start in your own life: figure out what’s stealing your own sense of peace, today, and run from that peacelessness into the arms of your Father in heaven (take a look at Isaiah 26:3). Maybe it’s in your circles of family and friends: you’ve worked up a long-standing rivalry with an old friend, or you’ve shunned a family member because of their dodgy social media posts. You might need to act on that. Bridge-building might take work. Or maybe it’s in your community: prejudices, elitism, or power-hoarding has kept people apart. That type of peacebuilding can be a lifelong pursuit. Whatever peace you pursue, know that it’s something that Jesus, the Prince of Peace, values so highly.
What now?
Carry peace in your heart towards everyone you meet today. At the end of the day, write up which people this was most difficult for, and why.