How many of you live in a large city? Take a look at the city of New York, or London even, which both boast populations of more then 8 million residents each, and watch how busy they are. And loud. Cars constantly running, horns beeping, people shouting, sirens blaring, construction noises, loud music, the amount of sounds is endless, and it is constant. It’s really not very peaceful, is it? It is like a wall of sound that surrounds you everywhere you go.
Well that is quite different than where we live, in the middle of the forest, far away from any large city, in a very quiet, mostly untraveled area. There have been times where you can sit out by the edge of a highway and not see a car pass by for 30 minutes at a time, and sometimes even longer. There are rarely any loud noises that come from heavy equipment, and even if there is it is an incredibly rare occurrence. We do not have to deal with people shouting back and forth, arguing out on the street outside of our house. We are all by ourselves, living in the peace of the woods, listening to the sounds of the forest.
When something is peaceful, or at peace, it means “a state of tranquility, quiet, and harmony; absence of violence. A state free of oppressive and unpleasant thoughts and emotions. Harmony in personal relations.”
This type of quality is what we are called to be filled with towards others, as Paul had referenced in Romans 12:18. If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.
This means that we should seek to avoid getting into confrontations with others, fighting and arguing, bickering, and such like actions. We need to strive to keep at peace with others with our speech and our actions. For some people it seems as though they have a hard time doing this because they let things such as their pride get in the way, which causes them to argue over things instead of just letting issues go.
As with all things, we may look to our Lord Jesus for examples of this, and learn from His teachings. Let us look for a moment of how Jesus handled a situation where some people wanted the Lord to pay some tribute (taxes).
Matthew 17:24-27 And when they were come to Capernaum, they that received tribute money came to Peter, and said, Doth not your master pay tribute?
He saith, Yes. And when he was come into the house, Jesus prevented him, saying, What thinkest thou, Simon? of whom do the kings of the earth take custom or tribute? of their own children, or of strangers?
Peter saith unto him, Of strangers. Jesus saith unto him, Then are the children free.
Notwithstanding, lest we should offend them, go thou to the sea, and cast an hook, and take up the fish that first cometh up; and when thou hast opened his mouth, thou shalt find a piece of money: that take, and give unto them for me and thee.
Even though it seems like Jesus wasn’t technically required to pay tribute because He was of Israel, Jesus commanded Peter to go and get the money out of the fish’s mouth to pay the people anyway, so that there would be no offense or argument between them. Jesus sought to keep the peace.
Another example that we may learn from is when Jesus was hated and reviled by others, He didn’t return the same treatment back. He may have been greatly wronged by others when they spoke hateful and evil things about Him, but the Lord allowed it to happen and never returned it back again.
1 Peter 2:21-23 For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:
Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth:
Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously:
Whether it be in our speech or our actions, we need to always seek to be at peace with others, even if it means that we need to suffer because of the actions of others. That is what Jesus did, and we need to seek to follow in His steps.
1 Peter 3:10-14 For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile:
Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it.
For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil.
And who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good?
But and if ye suffer for righteousness’ sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled;
Have peace among yourselves.
In Christ
Andrew
Teufer Lake King James Bible Church 