Pursue Peace?

30 days of Hebrews, that is my June project. It has been a wonderful learning experience so far. I'll be honest. Hebrews has always, always intimidated me. But repetitive reading--in different translations too--has proved helpful. I'm almost positive this won't be my last Hebrews post. 

Today I'm looking at Hebrews 12:14. Looking closely. Trying to fit it into the big picture of how to live. 

Pursue peace with everyone, and holiness—without it no one will see the Lord. (HCSB)

Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord. (ESV)

Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. (NIV)

Try to stay out of all quarrels, and seek to live a clean and holy life, for one who is not holy will not see the Lord. (Living)

Work at living in peace with everyone, and work at living a holy life, for those who are not holy will not see the Lord. (NLT)

Let it be your ambition to live at peace with all men and to achieve holiness “without which no man shall see the Lord”. (Phillips) 

Try to be at peace with everyone, and try to live a holy life, because no one will see the Lord without it. (GNT)

Pursue peace. Strive for peace. Make every effort to live in peace. Try to stay out of all quarrels. Work at living in peace with everyone. Let it be your ambition to live at peace. Try to be at peace with everyone. 

What does it mean to pursue peace? to strive for peace? 

One way we can spoil peace is with unkind, cruel words, or even gossip.

So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things. How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell. For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind, but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so. (James 3:5-10) (ESV)

This verse also comes to mind:

Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God. (James 1:19-20) (ESV)

Surely that verse has the power to teach us all, to touch us all. Even if our first response is OUCH. 

Here are some other verses that come to mind:

• Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you. (Ephesians 4:32) (ESV)
• Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. (Colossians 3:12-14) (ESV)
• Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. (1 Corinthians 13:4-7) (NIV)
• Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. (Romans 12:10) (NIV)
• Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. (Philippians 2:3-4) (ESV)
• Do all things without grumbling or disputing (Philippians 2:14) (ESV)
• I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ's gift. (Ephesians 4:1-7)
• If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. (Romans 12:18)

© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible