If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Romans 12:18
This verse has always fascinated me. I have often heard the expression, “He is impossible.” It doesn’t take long to run into some of those impossible people in our daily walk. We pray “Lord! Give me patience and please hurry.”
I suppose that Paul understood the problem as well or better than most. He met people all over who would not listen to any form of reason. “Don’t confuse me with facts, my mind is made up.”
At Lystra (Acts 14) Paul and Barnabas were about to be worshiped as gods when they stopped the sacrifice. It took only a few verses later before the people stoned Paul, dragged him outside the city thinking that he was dead. What a fiasco!
The Roman Emperor, Marcus Aurelius once pinned the following lines:
I am going to be meeting people today who talk too much –
People who are selfish, egotistical, ungrateful.
But I won’t be surprised or disturbed
For I can’t imagine a world without such people.
Maybe Paul was telling the Romans just to be patient with people. Try to see the good in others. Overlook the bad. Suit your actions to what is inside of you not on what is external to you.
Our world could be a much better place. The church could be a happier place. “As it depends on you”.