Welcome to today's encouragement from Our Daily Brett. I'm Bill Crowder and I titled our reading

Friends and Enemies. Scholar Kenneth E. Bailey told of the leader of an African nation

who'd learned to maintain an unusual posture in the international

community. He'd established a good relationship with both Israel and the nation surrounding it.

When someone asked him how his nation maintained this fragile balance, he responded,

We choose our friends. We do not encourage our friends to choose our enemies for us.

That is wise and genuinely practical. What that African country modeled on an international level

is what Paul encouraged his readers to do on a personal level in Romans 12. In the midst of a lengthy description of the characteristics of a life changed by Christ, he wrote,

If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.

He goes on to reinforce the importance of our dealings with others by reminding us that

even the way we treat our enemies reflects our trust in and dependence upon God and His ultimate

care.

To live in peace with everyone may not always be possible.

After all, Paul does say if.

But our responsibility as believers in Jesus is to allow His wisdom to guide our living

so that we engage those around us as peacemakers.

What better way could there be to honor the Prince of Peace?

Today's Our Daily Bread Devotional Scripture reading is from Romans chapter 12, verses 17 through 21.

Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone.

If it is possible, as far as it depends on you,

live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God's wrath,

for it is written, it is mine to avenge, I will repay, says the Lord. On the contrary,

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