“For the sake of peace”—for some, this phrase implies that one must always give in, but it also contains an old, yet deeply biblical expression that reminds us that true peace does not come when everyone insists on their rights, but rather, when love and humility are stronger than pride.
Acting “for the sake of peace” means, yielding not out of weakness, but out of inner strength, because one values peace more highly than dispute.
The Bible repeatedly calls us to seek and preserve peace. Romans 12:18 says, “If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men.”
This shows that peace often begins with our own attitude. We need to let go, forgive, and remain silent, even when it is difficult. We need to give in, even when it seems unfair or we have already done so many times.
When Peter once asked Jesus, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven” (compare Matthew 18:21-22).
This means nothing less than always, without limitation!
Jesus teaches us that true forgiveness knows no bounds and that true peace can only grow where we are ready to forgive again and again.
But peace does not mean concealing injustice or suppressing the Truth.
In Ezekiel 33:1-9, God speaks of the responsibility of the watchman to warn the people in the face of danger. The watchman who remains silent is complicit in the disaster that occurs. These words remind us that peace does not come from silence about evil, but from the Truth spoken out of love.
Sometimes, God calls us to speak up, to warn, or to have the courage to address injustices—not to condemn, but to preserve and save lives.
This also means acting “for the sake of peace”: speaking the Truth in love so that genuine peace based on justice can arise.
Jesus himself said, “Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God” (Matthew 5:9; Authorized Version). Peacemaking is therefore a sign of being a child of God.
Those who seek peace follow the example of Christ, who showed us the way of peace—not by fighting, but by loving, forgiving, and serving.
The peace that God gives is more than the absence of dispute; it is a state of the heart in which God’s love reigns: “…and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus”, as Paul writes in Philippians 4:7.
To live “for the sake of peace” means to consciously seek reconciliation in relationships, in the family, in the church, or at work. It is not always easy, but it is worth trying not to always have the last word, but rather to remain calm. It means to think “more highly of one another than you do of yourselves,” as it says in Philippians 2:3 (Amplified Bible), and in doing so, allowing God’s love to be manifested.
Sometimes, this also means giving in more often than one would like, and yet finding peace in it because one knows that God guides our hearts and that love always remains the stronger force.
Jesus Himself paid the highest price “for the sake of peace.” He gave up His divine right, became human, served, and died so that “our peace was upon Him” (Isaiah 53:5).
This divine peace is the foundation on which we can build our lives.
Thus, God calls us to be peacemakers in word and deed, in love and patience. “For the sake of peace”—for us, this is not a sign of weakness, but an expression of divine strength rooted in love and bearing fruit in peace.
(Initial Translation: Daniel Blasinger)