If we
have peace with God, then we can have peace with man. The quality of peacemaking is to be present
in the house of God and the pastor is to lead by example. Paul, thus, instructed his young preacher
protégé, Timothy, “And a servant of the
Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all” (2 Tim.2:24a ).
Warren
Wiersbe notes, “The pastor must listen to people and be able to take
criticism without reacting. He should permit others to serve God in the church
without dictating to them.”[1] John MacArthur comments that such a pastor
is, “Considerate, genial, gracious, quick to pardon failure, and one who does
not hold a grudge.”[2]
Amplifying this, Paul states that
the pastor is, “not
quarrelsome” (1 Timothy 3:3 ). He is not “Pastor Nit-picker.” There are several of those around. These are heirs of the Pharisees who seemed
always eager to spot a flaw and start a fight.
Such are quick to administer a verbal tongue lashing. Experts at making mountains out of molehills,
this is their modus operandi.
The NASB
renders the Greek word for the quality pastors should have as, “peaceable.” It is that attitude and activity which Jesus
called for when He said, “Blessed are the
oeacemakers” (Matt.5:9 ).
A PRAYER
God of
Peace,
Thank You
for the peace You have made with us through the humble sacrifice of Your Son
and our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.
We marvel how You took the initiative in reaching out to make peace with
us, and now we are reconciled to You! We
rejoice that You paid such a price to purchase that peace. Your wrath, which we deserved was restrained
and instead You gave us love and forgiveness.
Please help your church to be challenged to have that same quality of
peacemaking, and make your pastors to be the models for it. Lord, help me be one who brings people
together rather than having a divisive spirit.
If some are offended, let it be the Gospel that offends and not that I
am obnoxious. If truth polarizes then
let it be the message and not my manner, their response and not my pettiness,
that produces it.In the Name of the Prince of Peace,
Amen.
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