“Make every effort to live in peace with all men, and to be holy, without holiness no one will see God.” (Hebrews 12:14)

There is a connection between peace and holiness because we will not point others to God with just peace. Peace without holiness is easy: simply tell people what they want to hear, and you’ll nearly always have peace with everyone. Many do this, with varying levels of brokenness (maybe I’ll be loved if I do this or that).

Peace with others is necessary, if we want to point others to God. This peace must include holiness, the kind of separate that says there is something better, something different. It’s not the kind of separate that says I’m better and builds walls. We need to live at peace with others, communicating, there’s a better way. we must not shout, “I’m better.”

And so, here we find some common imbalances we find in many relationships. There is too much “holiness” (although this is not really holiness, but pride), and one person always looks to have the upper hand, they seek to firmly establish their superiority. In these relationships, peace is not desired. Instead, the one who is better than looks for obedience or adoration…cause this is what feeds pride.

Sometimes there is too much “peace,” in that there is only concern for the absence of relational strife and there is no concern to help a person see God.

  • Is it important that the people in your world would see God through your life?
  • Do you live at peace with everyone you know?
  • Do you live with holiness, the kind that doesn’t build walls or sacrifice peace?
  • Consider this also in light of your ministry, how does living in peace and holiness with a desire that others would see God, impact the way that you serve?