The Price of Peace

Devotional week 38

“If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.” – Romans 12:18

A friend once said during our house church gathering, “For any place where there is peace, someone has paid the price for it.” That statement jolted me awake. At the time, I was having a hard time with a fellow postgraduate student in the campus “family house” where I lived. We both followed Jesus, yet we did not get along well. In my culture, it is not common to openly discuss uncomfortable issues, so I kept quiet, hoping the tension would disappear with time. But deep down, I wanted peace, just not at the price of honesty, humility, and love in action.

The truth is, peace does not come by pretending nothing is wrong. Christ paid the ultimate price to reconcile us to God, and He calls us to reflect that reconciliation in our relationships. Hebrews 12:14 says, “Make every effort to live in peace with everyone.” Peace takes effort. Sometimes it means humbling ourselves to start a hard conversation, offering forgiveness even when it stings, or letting go of pride for the sake of unity.

Think of the workplace as a buzzing beehive- everyone is busy, and clashes are bound to happen. As believers, we are not called to dodge drama or cover up tension. We are called to be peacemakers, bringing real wholeness, or shalom, into our offices, classrooms, and homes. If Christ could humble Himself to secure our peace with God, then surely we can take the smaller but costly steps to build peace with others.

Challenge

This week, ask yourself: Where do I need to pay the price of peace? It could be starting a long-overdue conversation, offering forgiveness, or letting go of pride. Don’t wait for peace to happen step into it with Christ’s help.

Prayer

Lord Jesus, thank You for paying the highest price to bring me peace with God. Teach me to follow Your example by humbling myself, forgiving freely, and choosing love over pride. Amen.