Make Peace
Matthew 5:23

    There was a time when the Israelites had sinned against God and despite his many request for them to repent through his prophets, they refused to listen. In fact they even killed his messengers.  The people thought they could gain favor from God simply by making sacrifices at his alter, rather than listening to his request to turn from their sins, but God felt another way.

Isaiah 1:10-17 GNB Jerusalem, your rulers and your people are like those of Sodom and Gomorrah. Listen to what YHWH is saying to you. Pay attention to what our God is teaching you. 11 He says, "Do you think I want all these sacrifices you keep offering to me? I have had more than enough of the sheep you burn as sacrifices and of the fat of your fine animals. I am tired of the blood of bulls and sheep and goats. 12 Who asked you to bring me all this when you come to worship me? Who asked you to do all this tramping around in my Temple? 13 It's useless to bring your offerings. I am disgusted with the smell of the incense you burn. I cannot stand your New Moon Festivals, your Sabbaths, and your religious gatherings; they are all corrupted by your sins. 14 I hate your New Moon Festivals and holy days; they are a burden that I am tired of bearing. 15 "When you lift your hands in prayer, I will not look at you. No matter how much you pray, I will not listen, for your hands are covered with blood. 16 Wash yourselves clean. Stop all this evil that I see you doing. Yes, stop doing evil 17 and learn to do right. See that justice is done---help those who are oppressed, give orphans their rights, and defend widows."

    It is therefore highly likely that if we “might” have caused our neighbor any animosity toward us and we have not made peace with him or her, then we cannot be in a good standing with the Almighty Father, nor can anything we do, which might otherwise acquire treasure in heaven be of any value to us.  Thus if we think that there might be a problem, so much as a hint of one,  between us and our neighbor, we should do our very best to make peace with him or her (privately). Then our Father, who is looking down on us in secret will look on with favor and see our faithful works, listen to our prayers, and our supplications. How much more so should we make peace with someone complaining against us? This all might seem difficult to do, but what reward would we have if God made it easy?

    In general, if a person is complaining against us about anything, it is wise to assume that we are in the wrong. We should settle the matter as soon as possible. Give them whatever it is they want, in order to settle the matter. During this time of the end, most people will not be very forgiving. But even if we give it to them and they don't deserve it, we shall be acquiring treasure in heaven.

    Some translations render Matthew 5:25 as one settling matters with his adversary "while with him on the way there" to court but this would contradict the first  part of that verse "Be about settling matters quickly with the one complaining against you at law..." Therefore to keep our savor we shall look at a more reliable source to see what is truly implied here.  An old Greek version shown by B.F. Westcott and F. J. A. Hort has Matthew 5:25 as: 

Be quickly until when you are with him in the way, not at any time you might give over the adversary to the judge, and the judge to the subordinate, and into prison you might be thrown;

This implies that we should not wait until the last moment, but we should make our peace with our adversary as soon as we can. Let us see what some other translations say:

(CEV)
Before you are dragged into court, make friends with the person who has accused you of doing wrong. If you don't, you will be handed over to the judge and then to the officer who will put you in jail.

(MSG)
"Or say you're out on the street and an old enemy accosts you. Don't lose a minute. Make the first move; make things right with him. After all, if you leave the first move to him, knowing his track record, you're likely to end up in court, maybe even jail.  

    These scriptures might also have to do with the Judgment to come, therefore if we die, we shall be unable to make peace with anyone thereafter. Thus if we do not make our peace, we could end up in the prison that has a tormenting fire that never goes out and maggots that never die.  If anyone has observed how bad things are now while under the sun, then he is in for a rude awakening if he finds himself in the lake of fire.

Luke 16:18-31 GNB "Any man who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery; and the man who marries a divorced woman commits adultery. 19 "There was once a rich man who dressed in the most expensive clothes and lived in great luxury every day. 20 There was also a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, who used to be brought to the rich man's door, 21 hoping to eat the bits of food that fell from the rich man's table. Even the dogs would come and lick his sores. 22 The poor man died and was carried by the angels to sit beside Abraham at the feast in heaven. The rich man died and was buried, 23 and in Hades, where he was in great pain, he looked up and saw Abraham, far away, with Lazarus at his side. 24 So he called out, 'Father Abraham! Take pity on me, and send Lazarus to dip his finger in some water and cool off my tongue, because I am in great pain in this fire!' 25 But Abraham said, 'Remember, my son, that in your lifetime you were given all the good things, while Lazarus got all the bad things. But now he is enjoying himself here, while you are in pain. 26 Besides all that, there is a deep pit lying between us, so that those who want to cross over from here to you cannot do so, nor can anyone cross over to us from where you are.' 27 The rich man said, 'Then I beg you, father Abraham, send Lazarus to my father's house, 28 where I have five brothers. Let him go and warn them so that they, at least, will not come to this place of pain.' 29 Abraham said, 'Your brothers have Moses and the prophets to warn them; your brothers should listen to what they say.' 30 The rich man answered, 'That is not enough, father Abraham! But if someone were to rise from death and go to them, then they would turn from their sins.' 31 But Abraham said, 'If they will not listen to Moses and the prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone were to rise from death.' "

Proverbs 10:24 GNB The righteous get what they want, but the wicked will get what they fear most.