Daily Devotional, Aug 31, 2023 Bridges of Peace
"Deceit is in the heart of those who devise evil, But counselors of peace have joy." Proverbs 12:20
The current longest bridge in the world is the Danyang Kunshan Grand Bridge in China. It is almost 165-kilometer long and spans through land and water to transport people from Nanjing to Shanghai. This USD 8.5 Billion infrastructure claims to have strength to withstand a magnitude 8 earthquake and direct impact of anything within 300,000 tons.
As Christians we are being called to be strong and unswayable bridges of peace among people around us. Conflict is inevitable in families, among circles of friends, in the community and even within the church. But once we answer God’s calling for us to be peacemakers, the consequences of personal or group friction are minimized whilst following the will of God. In his second letter to the Corinthians, St. Paul urged us to pursue and uphold peace “Finally, brothers, rejoice. Aim for restoration, comfort one another, agree with one another, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you.” (2 Corinthians 13:11)
But it is not always easy to be a peacemaker. It is taxing actually especially if one has nothing to do with the problem. Some may even look at you as a meddler, but these should not prevent us from standing up for what is right as written in Hebrews 12:14 “Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord.”
Today’s world and its self-centered and comfort-oriented tendencies may tell us to not take peacemaking seriously. Unfortunately, shrugging off resolvable conflicts is not just the only issue here. Some of us fan the fires of dissent by engaging in gossiping, rumor mongering which sometimes are in the guise of “concern.” Others meanwhile even take advantage of disputes within families, friendships or communities to advance their own personal agenda. We should remember the stern warning about doing things like these “Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them.” Romans 1:32
In the end, we should strive to be bridges of peace when there are conflicts and dissent around us. It is worth our every effort as it means being a child of God: “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.” (Matthew 5:9). Moreover, it comes with a promise: “And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.” (James 3:18)
Thank you for reading through our devotional today. I invite you to ponder on Proverbs 26:20-22 and Romans 1:29-32 to dig deeper on today’s topic.
Reflection Question: Is there conflict around you? How can you be the peacemaker in that situation?
Conversation with the Lord: Almighty God, help me become a bridge of peace in my home, and among people around me. Give me the strength and the wisdom to uphold your command of living peaceably with each other so we could all live lives that are glorifying to you. Amen.
