How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity! – Psalm 133:1

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Peace is absence of war and hostility. It also means ‘shalom’ – referring to the way Jewish people greet others. If you think deeply about it, the word shalom speaks of wholeness. When you greet others with shalom, you bestow a blessing on them. You enter a dialog as a peacemaker, as someone who seeks peace with the other person. It’s a form of diplomacy in contemporary terms.

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children (or sons) of God (Matthew 5:9). This tells us that God is a god of peace. It’s pleasing to the eyes of God when we live in unity – with our loved ones, our neighbors, our friends, even our enemies. Love your enemies and do good to those who hate you (Luke 6:27). It’s not natural to love those who hate you. But this speaks of a victory over all your enemies. You can transform enemies into friends, simply by loving them. It’s how love wins, and peace is the proof that love has won.

When a man’s ways please the Lord, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him (Proverbs 16:7). When you learn to love your enemies, you please God. He can handle the rest.

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Prayer: Father, I know it’s not easy to love those who hate me. Teach me to how to walk in love when everything goes wrong. Today, I lift up all my enemies in prayer, asking for your mercy. Forgive them, for they know not what they do. In Jesus Christ’s name, amen. Thank you, Holy Spirit.

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