Daily Office readings: Amos 8:1-14, Revelation 1:17-2:7, Matthew 23:1-12.
I know that you cannot tolerate wicked people, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false. You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary.
—Revelation 2:2b-3
Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples: “The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. So you must be careful to do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach. They tie up heavy, cumbersome loads and put them on other people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them. Everything they do is done for people to see: They make their phylacteries wide and the tassels on their garments long; they love the place of honor at banquets and the most important seats in the synagogues; they love to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces and to have people call them ‘Rabbi.’ But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi,’ for you have only one Master and you are all brothers. And do not call anyone on earth ‘father,’ for you have one Father, and he is in heaven. Nor are you to be called ‘teacher,’ for you have one Teacher, the Messiah. The greatest among you will be your servant. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”
—Matthew 23:1-12
The past two days we have looked at what the biblical notion of peace, what God has done for us to make it possible for us to have peace with him, and what must be our response to God’s initiative. Today I want to look at what we must do to have peace with each other. Let’s start by acknowledging a difficult fact. Enjoying a peaceful relationship with everybody is just not going to happen as today’s lesson from Revelation points out. Given the human condition, there will always be those who seek to exploit others, or who are liars, or who will reject God’s word and authority. It is a grievous thing and none of us should take any satisfaction in this sad fact.
So what does it take to have peace amongst humans? Jesus provides us with the answer in today’s Gospel lesson. As we saw yesterday, if we are to have peace with God we must respond to his initiative with humility and obedience. Likewise, if we are to enjoy peace with others, we are to have a servant’s heart, which of course requires a humility and obedience on our part. In a classic case study, our Lord warns us about what will cause conflict among us, most notably pride and exploitation. A proud heart will lead us to believe we are better than others and often cause us to exploit others because we think that. Think of the conflict you have experienced in your life. I am willing to bet that pride has been one of the root causes of that conflict, either pride in you or in those with whom you have had conflict.
Does having a servant’s heart mean we become a doormat to others? Certainly not! Jesus was no doormat to others as this story from Matthew (and countless other Gospel stories) well illustrate. Having a servant’s heart means that we do not have some sense of baseless pride that gives us a false sense of entitlement and privilege. Having a servant’s heart means that we desire the best for others and work toward that end. Having a servant’s heart means we treat others with honesty, respect, and dignity because we know that like them, we owe our very lives to the Lord who has claimed us and given himself for us. Having a servant’s heart means we want to obey him because this is the way he told us to behave toward others. Having a servant’s heart means that in all likelihood you have peace with God, the essential condition for having peace with others.
This week, stop and reflect on the state of your relationship with others. Is there conflict that has been unresolved? First, ask yourself if you have done all in your power to resolve the conflict. Is your relationship salvageable? What is your role in the conflict? How have you worked to reestablish peace? Ask the Lord to give you insight and wisdom as well as power to do all you can do to reestablish peace.
Tomorrow: Peace lived, a personal experience.