Beyond the BattlefieldNäide

Sometimes it seems the only way to live at peace with everyone is to live as a hermit. But living as a hermit, as appealing as that is to some of us, is not the answer. As believers, we’re called to be a light in a world of darkness. And we can’t do that by escaping this world. We need to be engaged with the world around us. But how can we live at peace in a world that’s opposed to so much of what we believe in and hold dear? That’s the challenge we face when engaging the world, and oftentimes even other believers. And Paul acknowledged that it may not be possible. We can’t control other people. But we can choose to do our best to live at peace with others.

We can do that by choosing not to be offended by what others say. And we can choose not to be confrontational about issues that have only temporal value. None of that means that we compromise our faith and beliefs. Nor does it mean that we just go along to get along. But by living peacefully with those around us, we have a greater opportunity to share with them those things that are really important, things that have eternal consequences.