Peace Rules

Read: Colossians 3

Let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. Colossians 3:15

IN WORD

When you walk in the new nature and wear the new clothes of the Kingdom, you find an inner shalom that you were designed to carry. That shalom—the peace, wholeness, fullness, and rightness of life as it was meant to be—is a satisfying place. It’s more than the absence of conflict and tension. It’s restoration of the true human nature given in Eden and re-created through Jesus. It’s a gift of life from the Prince of Shalom Himself.

Many Christians lose that peace and fullness when they begin applying the Kingdom ways to everyone around them and make righteous demands on people who have only the old nature to draw from or are in a different place in their discipleship journey. Scripture tells us to walk in the new nature and wear the new Kingdom clothes, but it never tells us to decide the path for others and dress them the way we see fit. Yes, there are common expressions of Christ that all should embrace, and we are free to teach them. But the Kingdom is not a place of finger-pointing. It is always calling us to look on our old nature with judgment but never to be judgmental toward others. When we take verses meant for us and apply them to others—often out of season for their lives—we lose whatever peace we had gained. We become like the righteous scribes and Pharisees who, deep inside, weren’t very righteous at all.

IN DEED

Apply the Word to yourself. Even teach it to others. Explore it with those around you, and exhort and encourage one another with its hope and calling. But as one who has received an extraordinary amount of mercy, never look unmercifully at another. And certainly never judge those in the old nature by the standards of the new. These are not attitudes that make for peace.

No, peace comes from your inner communion with Christ and will manifest with the same mercy and love that He expressed to people who were really immature and may have made very bad decisions. Let love and mercy rule in your heart, and peace—shalom in its fullness—will flourish.

ADDITIONAL READING: Ephesians 4:1-4

Nothing graces the Christian soul as much as mercy.

AMBROSE OF MILAN