Tag Archives: peace

What is your debt, Mark?!

I was reading the Christian Light Sunday School lesson Scripture selection in Spanish and eventually got to Romans 13:8.

This part of the verse impressed me again:

No debáis a nadie nada, sino el amaros unos a otros.

Owe no one anything, except to love each other. (ESV)

That eventually led me to two alternate (opposed, really) approaches…

“You owe me an apology.”
“I owe you love.”

When I’m inclined to be aware of the apology another owes me (and you might be one of my debtors), better I be aware of the love I owe another (and I might be your debtor!).

That’s good for me to remember after…

  • last night.
  • that deleted hot-off-griddle Facebook comment (that I got anyway because Facebook emailed it to me as soon as it was posted).
  • the stunningly disrespectful text fired at me from far away several years ago.

Instead of being focused on an apology owed me, let me be consumed by the love I owe another.

Do you know what I mean?

I must make my peace with them to make peace with them!

Of what spirit am I?

If it be possible,
as much as lieth in you,
live peaceably with all men.”

Romans 12:18

In the world, the believer faces (or at times causes) conflict with others in the church or even in society in general.

Whether aggressor or target (no, that’s not the same as victim!), we Christians can change the trajectory of such encounters by choosing peace, meekness, and forgiveness.

Lord, teach us
to seek peace
by reconciliation
through deeds of kindness and love.

I agree with that prayer. But I want more than deeds! I want a meek spirit. I want a forgiving spirit. I want a peaceable, peacemaking spirit.

But my humanity gets in the way. So before I can use meekness and forgiveness to make peace, I need to embrace them. I need to quit fighting meekness and forgiveness. I need to join myself to them. I need to make my peace with both of them.

[Peace (1 Thessalonians 1:1)]
Spines or flowers — which am I?

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