The Ministry of Reconciliation (Part III)

I have been sharing in the last two devotionals about God’s call on the believers to be the ministers of reconciliation.  Reconciling people to God and to one another is a noble and powerful thing to do. However, it is not an easy assignment because we will be faced with opposition from within and without. 

For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace, and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity. And He came and preached peace to you who were afar off and to those who were near. For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father. Ephesians 2:14-18

The Lord called us to be peacemakers, which goes hand in hand with being ministers of reconciliation. Contrary to the popular belief, peacemakers rock the boat! The disciples continually rocked the religious and political boats to reach people for Jesus.

Peacemakers are willing to roll up their sleeves, take risks, and get into the mess to clean it up. Being a peacemaker is about bringing reconciliation into the atmosphere and breaking down the spirit of hostility and enmity. Reconcilers take the side of the Prince of Peace recognizing that man is subject to pride and fear causing him to react and fall into sin.

Sometimes being a reconciler means that no one likes us too much because we are not willing to taking their side, but that’s ok. Taking the side of truth is never easy, but wouldn’t you rather please God than to please man temporarily!? If the fear of losing relationships causes us to compromise, God cannot use us as ministers of reconciliation. In turn, people will use us to vent and gossip about others, and they will leave us dirty and poisoned in the name of friendship and intimacy. 

But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. And he declared to them how he had seen the Lord on the road, and that He had spoken to him, and how he had preached boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus. Acts 9:27

Jesus’ disciples wanted to avoid Paul because he had been the persecutor of the church. It was Barnabas who had the courage to bring Paul to the other disciples and encouraged them to believe God’s transformation in this man’s life. Barnabas could have feared losing relationships with the disciples, but he was willing to take the risk because Paul was a changed man and God’s work was more important!

Barnabas became a minister of reconciliation and allowed God to use him to rebuild trust in the disciples concerning Paul. It was really the disciples who had to change their minds and put their past fears and offenses aside. This important step allowed all the apostles to work together in unity, be more effective in their ministry, and represent Christ well to the new believers.  

Are you willing to do the hard work of being a minister of reconciliation? Whenever we look at the Biblical characters, their courageous work of reconciliation went above and beyond the moment, and it played a significant role in God’s prophetic vision for the future. 

 

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