MAKE PEACE



There's no denying the fact that our country and the world is filled with conflict and violence of every sort.  We watch the evening news in numb disbelief.  During this past year we not only discovered that we're not safe in the workplace, but we learned that our children are not safe at school, we're not safe in our cars driving down the road and one month ago on a Thursday evening in Dallas, Texas, senseless violence was taken to a disturbing new level as a deranged gunman walked into a parking garage and began shooting at police officers.

It's not uncommon for us to think that this kind of violence is unique to our culture, but the reality is, there has always been violence and conflict.  The Society of International Law in London reports that during the last four millennia there have only been 268 years of peace.  There have been over 15,000 known wars from 36 BC to the present date.  Over 8,000 treaties have been made and broken.  Despite the peacemaking efforts of organizations such as the League of Nations, NATO and the United Nations, since 1945 there have been over 85 wars and over 105 nations have been involved in armed conflict.  All of this caused an insightful cynic to say, "Peace is that glorious moment in history when everyone stops to reload."

Whenever you find yourself embroiled in a conflict, have you ever noticed how quickly your human nature kicks into gear?  Your human nature says, "Don't let people run over you!  Win the argument!  Come out on top!  If someone is nasty to you, dish it right back!  Don't get mad, get even!"  But, Jesus in Matthew chapter five and verse nine of the beatitudes exhorts us to be agents of reconciliation.  He says, "Blessed are the peacemakers for they will be called the children of God." Even though you are sinner by nature and by choice and are worthy of eternal condemnation, the Bible is the story of God taking the initiative to reconcile you to Himself. God is a peace-making, peace-loving God!

Because you now have peace with God, Jesus calls you to be a peacemaker. This is not an easy task but Jesus in the text says (not simply suggesting) Christ-followers are peacemakers and peacemakers build bridges of reconciliation and peace to others. I’ve learned over the years that conflict is not resolved accidentally. It requires intentionality. If it is avoided it just gets worse with time. How much time have you wasted stewing over ruptures in relationships with a spouse, a family member, one of your children, a co-worker, a neighbor, or someone at church? Are you hoping it will just go away? How much sleep has been lost because you can’t get it off your mind?

Oh that we in these days of conflict and violence would allow the peace of Christ to prevail. I urge you to consider this 13th Century prayer by St. Francis of Assisi to be your prayer as you flesh out your role in being a peacemaker where you live. “Lord, make me an instrument of Thy peace.  Where there is hatred, let me sow love.  Where there is injury, pardon.  Where there is doubt, faith.  Where there is despair, hope.  Where there is darkness, light.  Where there is sadness, joy.  O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console.  To be understood, as to understand.  To be loved, as to love.  For it is in giving we receive.  It is in pardoning that we are pardoned.  It is in dying that we are born to eternal life.”

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The 80-20 Rule

In 1906, Italian economist Vilfredo Pareto created a mathematical formula to describe the unequal distribution of wealth in his country, observing that twenty percent of the people owned eighty percent of the wealth. The Pareto Principle, or 80/20 rule, states that 80% of the effects come from 20% of the causes.   Although this rule was first applied in Italy when Pareto was looking at the dispersal of wealth, it has since become a rule of thumb for many businesses.   It has been said that 20% of your workforce does 80% of the work, or 80% of your sales come from 20% of your clients.   I think this law comes into play in our lives as well.   Life is 20% what happens to you and 80% what you make of it. There are tons of stories about people who come out of difficult situations — gang life, in and out of jail, drug addiction, broken families, abuse – yet still seem to rise to the top.   And of course, there are many stories of those who have been given...
Read more

Control Yourself

When it comes to our life, we have nothing to say about our birth and little say about our death, but in between these two events most of the decisions are ours to be made. Are you letting life and circumstances control you, or are you controlling your own life and destiny with God’s help. Don't let life pass you by when you have the God-given ability to make things happen. I've heard it said: You can't control the length of your life, but you can control its use. You can't control your facial appearance, but you can control its expression. You can't control the weather, but you can control the moral atmosphere that surrounds you. You can't control the distance of your head above the ground, but you can control the height of the contents in your head. You can't control the other fellow's annoying faults, but you can see to it that you do not develop similar faults. Why worry about things you cannot cont...
Read more

Bounce Back

As a 7th grader in junior high school, I was devastated when I was cut from the starting 8th grade football team and sent to the second team.   I felt disappointed, embarrassed and dejected.   Latter that week, I spoke with my grandfather who passed on these words of wisdom, “It’s not how far you fall, but how high you bounce back that matters.”   I took those words to heart. The Bible says in Proverbs 25:11, “Timely advice is lovely, like golden apples in a silver basket.” I valued his wise words and committed to doing my best for this second string team, instead of pouting and complaining over my sense of failure. I committed to working hard, giving my all to bounce back. It served me well as I entered high school and played on two state championship teams. I learned that day that what happens to me in life doesn’t count as much as how I react to those things.   I had a choice the day I was cut from the team—I could wallow in misery and quit the team, or I ...
Read more