JOHN SHIRK – In the Year to Shine, today’s Vital Step to a Radiant Faith is peacemaking.

Jesus said in the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5:9, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.”

God’s love is so strong that it can be a force to turn enemies into friends. That is what happened at the cross when Jesus died for sinners. We were in hostility against God, and our sin was the expression of that hostility. However, His love draws us to His saving grace and turns us from foe to friend when we yield to His love.

We also become ambassadors for Christ to share a message of grace and peace through Jesus. This good news has the power to persuade people to follow Jesus and build healthy relationships between people. James 3:18 says, “Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness.”

Peacemaking is a vital step to a radiant faith that makes a difference in our world.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com