Remember, it is the goodness of God that leads to repentance. (See Romans 2:4)

Today I will:

• be a peacemaker
• not let my anger lead to strife
• be firm in my dedication to true "win-win" negotiations in all matters

“God blesses those who work for peace, for they will be called the children of God.”  Matthew 5:9 (NLT)

In the hectic, high-pressure, and highly competitive world of business, it is often difficult to find peace for ourselves, let alone to help others find it. Yet if we are looking to be representatives of God's kingdom on the earth “Christ’s ambassadors of reconciliation" as Paul infers we are in 2 Corinthians 5-then building peace and improving relationships between individuals and companies, even if they are competitors, is part of our calling.

Is it possible to be in conflict without strife, or as it has been said so many times before, "to disagree without being disagreeable"? What was Jesus' example in such things? When He called the Pharisees and Sadducees "a brood of vipers" (Matthew 12:34), was He just trying to stir up trouble, or did He intend to awaken them to their plight of being far from what God had called them to be?

The latter must obviously have been the case-and if so, our methods should be driven by the same motives. If we are at times harsh or uncompromising, it should be with the point of bringing reconciliation, not strife and division. In some ways, we have a much more difficult part to play in such interactions than Jesus did; He could know He was not being self-righteous in His words. We have more difficulty making such judgments. So, if anything, we should err on the side of grace and love.

In your dealings today, look for opportunities to be a minister of reconciliation, led by peace and worthy of your high calling in Christ.