The peace that the apostle Paul has in mind when he lists it as a fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22-23 is the kind that is demonstrated within interpersonal relationships. So, what does this peace look like in practice?
Dr. Christopher J.H. Wright answers that questions like this:
What does it mean to practice peace like that – to cultivate that fruit of the Spirit in our lives? Well, at the very least it should mean that we do the following:
- We should seek to address and resolve conflicts among ourselves, rather than adding to them (or causing them in the first place).
- We should be careful to avoid the kind of words and attitudes that easily create misunderstanding and division.
- We need to follow carefully the instructions of Jesus on how [Christian] brothers and sisters should deal with grievances against one another (Matthew 18:15-17), rather than just going public in the press or on blogs, etc., about other people.
- Above all, we should avoid all kinds of gossip about others, and learn the strict discipline of keeping confidences.
