"How delightfully good when brothers live together in harmony! It is like fine oil on the head, running down on the beard, running down Aaron’s beard onto his robes. It is like the dew of Hermon falling on the mountains of Zion. For there the Lord has appointed the blessing-life forevermore." Psalm 133

I’ve only seen pictures of snow covered mountains in Alaska or Colorado. Perhaps you have visited one of those states. I imagine the beauty of the Rockies blanketed in wintry white powder is breathtaking! I have seen Mt. Hermon, the loftiest peak in all of Palestine. Twice, in fact. On my last visit to Israel, this mountain peak was completely covered in snow. It too is an amazing sight! From its snowy cap, refreshing dew descends upon the surrounding country to water and sustain it. As the snow melts in the spring, streams become a raging river nourishing the land and bringing forth life. This is one of the metaphors used by David to illustrate the work of the Spirit producing beauty and the pleasantness of relational peace: brothers living together in harmony.

Although peace isn’t the absence of conflict, we somehow think it should be! We have an idea that peace means people never disagree, argue, or fight. They must always say something nice or they shouldn’t say anything at all. Though we long and strive for this kind of peace with others, it is seldom attained, and not God-honoring if it is! That’s because it isn’t the kind of relational peace we are called to walk in or model. Holding one’s tongue or not having differing opinions isn’t what relational peace is about!

We have a glimpse of that in Scripture. Relational struggles are real in the Bible, and even a cursory reading of Scripture shows anger or mistrust between various people. Unity is good and pleasant, as the psalmist reminds us. But peaceful, relational unity is also hard. The endless variety of conflicts that break apart relationships, and even whole churches, are fueled because earnest, sincere Christians fail to humbly, gently, patiently ‘[bear] with one another in love’ and cease being ‘eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace’. (Eph. 4:1–3).

One of the results of having peace with God is that we can also have the peace of God. Being at peace with God makes relational peace with others possible as we surrender personal rights for the sake of others, or as we put others first in the pursuit of God’s Kingdom. What God has done through Jesus to restore a right relationship with Himself he also does through us to restore a right relationship with our brothers and sisters.

We must purpose to live all of life that way!

Jim Denison tells us, “As Christians, it’s important to remember that what divides us is typically of far less importance than what unites us.” Instead of losing track of this fact and having our thoughts guided by our emotions, we must be mindful that unity in Christ is Spirit-produced but can be ruined by human insensitivity or selfishness. When people lose sight of Jesus or focus more on personal preferences than on Kingdom pursuits, we cease living as children of God or stop treating others as God’s image-bearers.

In the same way that oil spread from Aaron's head down his beard and to his clothing, unity by God’s design is to flow from God to His people. God in Christ unites people by his Spirit across ethnic, cultural and every relational barrier, giving them the same purpose and calling them to walk in the same direction. This is the blessing of life forevermore – God’s relational peace.

Written by Pastor Glenn Rice