If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone – Romans 12:18
“You have my dad to thank for this offer. He reminded me that peace was an option here.” These were the words District Attorney Mae Silver—a character on Boston Blue—presented to her political opponent, Thad Longfellow, during the recent episode titled “Ripple Effect.” Encouraged by her father, Reverend Edwin Peters, Mae chose to extend an olive branch instead of retaliating by exposing defamatory evidence against him, as he had threatened to do against her. The interaction culminated in an agreement that neither Mae nor Thad would use unethical means to sabotage the other’s campaign.
Resisting the impulse to fight fire with fire is the message Jesus addressed in Matthew 5:38 when He said, “Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.” Yet, Jesus didn’t just teach us to resist our natural impulses when encountering evil—He perfectly demonstrated this restraint during His arrest in the Garden of Gethsemane. He reminded His captors, “Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels?” (Matthew 26:53). Rather than proving His power or retaliating, Jesus chose to focus entirely on fulfilling His divine mission.
Ignoring retaliatory urges can be incredibly difficult. That is why it is so important to step back, take a deep breath, and remember who you are as a new creation in Jesus Christ. Remembering your identity—and the power that lives within you through the Holy Spirit—makes extending an olive branch not only possible, but natural.