Have you ever referred to a gift of food as a “peace offering”? Relationships are fragile things. Betrayals, misunderstandings, words spoken in anger do damage. Fear of rejection and repeated pain cause our repentant hearts to pull back even further, and the initial mess keeps getting messier!


If you’re a child of God in this situation, the healing must begin with you. Forgiveness for sin against a holy God was extended to us through Jesus’ death on the cross (John 3:17). That fact should compel us to seek peace with those we’ve hurt…and with those who’ve hurt us.


Hospitality is so often a catalyst for mending broken relationships: handing a plate of cookies across the fence to the neighbor who offended, inviting the couple with whom you’ve quarreled to come for coffee or a meal, a loaf of banana bread and note of apology to an estranged co-worker…these are simple instruments that foster healing, but they become powerful in God’s hands. Trust Him to use your creative acts of kindness to accomplish it!