Topic: Sunday Reflection: The Difficulty of Peacemaking [Charles Stanley Daily Devotional 9 August 2020]

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Sunday Reflection: The Difficulty of Peacemaking

To get the most out of this devotion, set aside time to read the Scripture referenced throughout.

Moments after teaching the Beatitudes in His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus explained how His followers were to begin the work of making peace: Love your enemies, pray for those who persecute you, love and greet people who aren’t like you (Matt. 5:44-47). But sometimes even offering a simple greeting to someone you don’t usually speak to can feel daunting.

There are many examples from Jesus’ own life where making peace was difficult because the people He was trying to love responded with ridicule or even hostility. (See Mark 2:6-7; Luke 7:34; John 8:48.) There were even moments when His own family didn’t believe Him (John 7:5). Yet He overcame these experiences and offered reconciliation—with both God and one another—to all humankind. And as our awareness of the grace and strength offered to us grows, so will our desire to cultivate peace around us.

Think about it

• What are some new ways you can begin the work of making peace in your daily life?

• Can you think of an experience when making or seeking peace was difficult? How did you respond?

Bible in One Year: Jeremiah 4-5