Pursue peace

Yet if your brother is grieved because of your food, you are no longer walking in love. Do not destroy with your food the one for whom Christ died. Therefore do not let your good be spoken of as evil; for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. For he who serves Christ in these things is acceptable to God and approved by men.
Therefore let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another. Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All things indeed are pure, but it is evil for the man who eats with offense. – Acts 14.15-20

This whole chapter has been talking about liberty and freedom of conscience We are told that we have freedom. Here though we read a telling point. If I offend by brother by what I eat, or any other issue, than I am not longer walking in love. I can’t use my freedom to destroy the one that Christ died for. Instead, I ought to be doing all I can do for the cause of peace.

My liberty is not worth it if it is going to cause offence or hurt my brother’s faith or walk with God. Me getting my way just isn’t what matters here. I have liberty, yes, but my liberty is not to serve the flesh but to love others.

Pursue peace in my relationships with others. Chase after peace. Yes, we have to stand for right and that may by necessity cause conflict, but our pursuit ought to be to find a way to work things out peacefully.

The social media culture, as much as I may personally like it, seems to do the opposite. It seems to have developed an attitude of fighting at the drop of a hat.
I wonder how our social media activity would be if we actively chased after peace?

Pursue peace with all men.