What you do to make peace…

So you’re having problems with someone in your life and you want to have peace with them, what do you do?  Well the first thing you do is to take the initiative and don't wait for them to make the first move. 

Matthew 5:23-24 (TEV), "If ... you remember that your brother has something against you ... go at once to make peace ..." 

When does it say to do it?  At once.  Don't delay.  Don' wait.  Don't postpone.  If you're the offender or if you're the offended, the Bible says, the ball is always in your court.  You take the initiative.  You take the first step. 

You say, "But he hurt me.  Why should I do that?"  Because JESUS says so.  If you're a believer you're to always take the initiative in seeking peace, whether you have been offended or you are the offender.  Why?  The longer you wait to resolve a relationship problem the bigger it gets and the problem just gets worse.  Peacemakers always take the initiative. 

In 1979 Anwar Sadat was given the Nobel peace prize.  Why?  Because he took the initiative.  Remember he broke through a 2000 year barrier and he was the first Arab leader to fly to Israel and said "Let's set down and talk about this."  Peacemakers always take the initiative. 

Here's the first step.  Schedule a set down, face to face peace conference or conferences.  You don't do it when it's good for you but when it's good for them.  You don't wait until they're in bed getting ready to go to sleep and say, "I want to talk about a problem."  You don't do it when they're hurried, tired, pressured.  Do it when it's convenient for them. 

Think of a person right now that you need to make peace with.  The first step is to schedule a peace conference with the person.

Just a thought from the front porch…