Be at Peace with Each Other

by TerryLema

1 Thessalonians 5:13-15:  Live in peace with each other. [NIV]

One short sentence. One tall order.  Just look at those six words.  Live in peace with each other. And if you use another translation, it can be even shorter. Be at peace among yourselves. Only five words in the NKJV.  Still a tall order.

That tall order is part of Paul’s closing words to the church at Thessalonica. That final chapter really packs a wallop. It starts with thoughts about the Second Coming of Christ and ends with the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ with us. And in between are all kinds of admonitions of how we are to respect leaders in the church, deal with all kinds of circumstances and treat each other. It’s a great read if you have a few moments today.

Still, among all those admonitions, the six (or five) little words above probably give us the most trouble. This is one unpeaceful world we live in. We are assaulted on every side by things that seek to disrupt our peace. Even our own inner nature works to rile us up and keep us unsettled. Our society lately is an “offended” society, giving people more excuses for anger.

The church, however, is to be different. We are given the tall order to live in peace with each other. Peace is to be the atmosphere of those who love the Lord. If we are all connected to Him, as the body is to the head, how can we be at war with each other?

Father, I pray for Your people, Your church, the Body of Christ that we might be at peace among ourselves, and that we might be a good testimony to this unpeaceful world. Amen.

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