Chase peace and devotion with all, without which [devotion] no one will see the Lord, mentoring, so no one is lacking God’s grace, so some bitter root does not grow up with disturbance and through it many become soiled
Hebrews 12:14-15, TST
Work at living in peace with everyone, and work at living a holy life, for those who are not holy will not see the Lord. Look after each other so that none of you fails to receive the grace of God. Watch out so that no poisonous root of bitterness grows up to trouble you, corrupting many.
Hebrews 12:14-15, NLT
Who doesn’t want peace? I think we all do. My concordance defines peace as, among a couple of other definitions, a state of tranquility or quiet; freedom from disquieting or oppressive thoughts or emotions. Would you look at that? There’s that word “freedom” again. So to have peace, you also have to have freedom. And where do we find this freedom, this peace? In the Spirit of the Lord. If we are filled with His Spirit, we will find peace in ourselves, and it will be easier to be at peace with those around us, which is what the Hebrews writer is getting at here. And we aren’t to sit and just wait on it to come to us. We are to chase it, to work at it. Then, once we find it, we are to mentor and look after others and help them find it as well. We are to do it with devotion - being ardently dedicated and loyal, both to God and to each other.
Many passages speak of peace and how to attain it. Psalm 34:14 tells us we have to search for peace and work to maintain it. Sounds kinda like David and the Hebrews writer were on the same page, huh? In Proverbs 12:20, joy fills hearts that are planning peace - the way to peace is planned (which also indicates work to follow) and comes with joy (which also comes with freedom). Paul says in Romans 8:6 that letting the Spirit control your mind (the Spirit, where we find freedom) leads to life and peace. Peace is listed with the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22. Living our lives walking in the Spirit produces peace, among other things. A large section of Ephesians 2 talks about the peace Jesus brought and that this peace has reconciled us not only to Him, but to each other. We are reconciled despite our differences and there is no hostility among us. There’s that peace, devotion, and looking after each other the Hebrews writer was talking about.
Finding peace isn’t easy. There’s a reason so many places say it has to be planned, chased after, and worked for. There is much we have to accept, and much more we have to be willing to let go of. But if we are willing to walk in the Spirit, allow ourselves to grasp that freedom, and work toward living a holy life, we will receive that peace that Paul speaks of:
God’s peace, which is superior to all perception, will guard your heart and your mentalities in Christos Yēsous.
Philippians 4:7, TST