Pursue Peace – ???

[Bible Speaks]

Pursue Peace ???

“Let us pursue the things making for peace.”—ROM. 14:19.

 What if we have been wronged in some small way? Should we expect the offender to come to us and apologize? “[Love] does not keep account of the injury,” states 1 Corinthians 13:5. When offended, we pursue peace by forgiving and forgetting, that is, by ‘not keeping account of the injury.’ (Read Colossians 3:13.) 

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Minor transgressions in day-to-day life are best handled in this way, for this contributes to a peaceful relationship with fellow worshippers and gives us peace of mind. A wise proverb states: “It is beauty . . . to pass over transgression.”—Prov. 19:11. 

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What if we find that a certain offense is too difficult for us to overlook? Spreading the matter to as many ears as are willing to hear is certainly not the course of wisdom. 

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Such gossip serves only to disrupt the peace of the congregation. What should be done to resolve the matter peacefully? 

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Matthew 18:15 states: “If your brother commits a sin, go lay bare his fault between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother.” 

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While Matthew 18:15-17 applies to sin of a serious nature, in the spirit of the principle stated in verse 15, we should kindly approach the offender privately and try to restore a peaceful relationship with him. 

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The apostle Paul wrote: “Be wrathful, and yet do not sin; let the sun not set with you in a provoked state, neither allow place for the Devil.” (Eph. 4:26, 27) “Be about settling matters quickly with the one complaining against you at law,” said Jesus. (Matt. 5:25) 

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Pursuing peace, then, calls for settling difficulties quickly. Why? Because doing so prevents differences from festering like an untreated, infected wound. 

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Let us not allow pride, envy, or the attaching of too much importance to material things prevent us from resolving disputes soon after they arise. How good it is, therefore, lovingly to cover over the mistakes of others. “The one covering over transgression is seeking love,” says God’s Word, “and he that keeps talking about a matter is separating those familiar with one another.” (Prov. 17:9) 

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Complying with those words will help all of us to preserve peace in the congregation and maintain a good relationship with Jehovah. 

Lesson for today. (Matt 6:14, 15)

https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/2011611?q=been+wronged&p=par#h=25