SCRIPTURE READING — HEBREWS 12:14-17
Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy. . . .
— Hebrews 12:14
But sometimes we hear from people who have a complaint rather than an inquiry. A lady shared that her family left the church because the congregation had many bitter divisions and fights. The woman said that these conflicts weakened her faith.
In our Bible reading for today the author of Hebrews urges readers to “make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy.” This is not an optional short-term activity but a necessity that requires our lifelong commitment. People who are at peace with God are responsible to pursue peace in their relationships with others. You see, when we seek peace with others, we somehow mirror the likeness of God. In our love and friendships people see a reflection of God’s glory, and we personally grow in Christ.
The same is true about our personal holiness. A lack of holiness leads to sin that separates us from God. It also makes us a poor witness, and we can become a stumbling block to others who are searching for the Lord and seeking to grow in faith. In the times of difficulties someone will always look for a way to have peace but in some cases the way we choose we contradict our faith if it is not a way of peace. Consider when a brother refused to associate with one another because of biterness of heart. He can claim that he is a believer but he contradicts what he believed. How can he make peace when he had no peace in his heart because of the hurt he received from someone else?
