Hebrews 12:14a, "Pursue peace with all people." In the Book of Hebrews we are commanded to make peace with others a priority of life. In my estimation, people fall into one of three categories: Peacemakers, Troublemakers, and Bystanders.
Bystanders are "rubber-necks." They turn and look at a conflict but take no part in what is happening. Troublemakers are those who create dissension, discord, and distrust among others. God is not the author of confusion and dissension but peace. Peacemakers are those who try to mend fences between people. They may even be one of the parties involved in the conflict.
To obey God's command to seek out peace, it takes effort on our part. Peacemaking doesn't mean appeasement (give in to another to make them happy). Pursuing peace means doing what is right in God's eyes and helping others know what is right and doing it. This can be hard but it is what God desires. The Church should be filled with people pursuing peace. However, intuitively I think there are probably more troublemakers and bystanders than peacemakers.
Which am I? God says to be a healer, a resolver of conflict, a lover of others. I need to make peace making a priority of my life.
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