God wants us to live in peace with all men.
That means everyone.
Jesus taught us to love everyone—not just the people we like. He said His Father loved all people and was not selfishly motivated as we often are.
Face it. We want someone to be our friend so we treat them kindly. But that lady over there does not mean anything to us, so we pretty much ignore her. And that guy that treats us badly we avoid at all costs. Those around us that mean something to us get our attention while the rest do not. That is the natural way of things.
Jesus turned that idea on its head. (He turned a lot of ideas on their heads actually.)
Jesus challenges us to live differently than the natural way of mankind. He challenges us to live a life of love walking in the path of peace. They go hand-in-hand. And He tells us to do it with everyone: those who we want to know, those we just run into, and even those who treat us badly.
The great thing about Jesus is that He does not just say, “Hey! Look at Me! I am a God-man and I can love others, even My enemies. I can walk through the middle of any storm. I can calm the sea with a word. If you are going to follow Me, you have to do that stuff too. Good luck.”
No, Jesus understands our frailty. He not only modelled the way we should live, but He also gave us His Holy Spirit to empower us so we could actually do it too! How marvelous!
He showed us how to love others and walk in peace and gave us direction to guide us every step of the way. What a Savior! The benefits far outweigh any of the difficulties. His Word guides us in His way of wisdom and says that all wisdom’s “paths are peace” (Proverbs 3:17).
Peace is the key to all of that.
This lesson outlines the steps found in God’s Word to help us walk in God’s peace.
“Great peace have those who love thy law; nothing can make them stumble” (Psalm 119:165 RSV).
