Being a Peacemaker

Thanks to Adam and Eve and their "fall", we are all hardwired with certain tendencies that aren't so pretty and sweet. One tendency is to get angry. But, thanks to Jesus and His sacrifice, He gave us a higher standard. He calls us to be peacemakers — not just peacekeepers. Peacekeepers usually avoid conflict, but peacemakers resolve conflict and reconcile relationships.

We need a world of peacemakers! And, that includes you and me. The Bible promises this: “Those who are peacemakers will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of goodness” (James 3:18). We planted a lot of seed on our Oklahoma ranch. We had huge vegetable gardens and we found that planting a few seeds could yield a bumper crop. We also had an apple orchard that started from a few apple seeds. Those good seeds resulted in many apple trees and delicious apples that made the best pies and jams. It’s the law of sowing and reaping. The same is true in planting seeds of anger and hate or peace and love. If we plant seeds of hate, we’ll reap anger, bitterness and trouble. But the Bible says if we plant seeds of peace, we will reap a harvest of peace, kindness, and goodness in return.

One of the most important life skills we will ever learn is conflict resolution. Let’s consider a bitter argument between a husband and wife. Someone must make the first move toward peace. I remember sleeping on the far edge of our bed because I wasn't about to start the peace conversation. I waited for my husband to make the first move. These many years later, I found the better person is the one who takes the initiative to resolve conflict and make amends.

Jesus took the initiative to show mercy to us. “While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. While we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son” (Romans 5:8,10). Jesus didn’t wait for us to apologize. He didn’t even wait for us to feel bad about our behavior. Jesus made the first move. And he wants us to do the same thing. He wants us to call for Peace Summits – where the expected result is always peace!

I know this blog today comes from God's prompting to me. More than anything, He wants us to live in peace with each other. “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God.” (Matthew 5:9) Being a peacemaker is one who doesn’t come forward with accusations and ways they've been hurt or speaking about whose fault it was. Peacemakers start with humility – “I apologize for anything I did or said that created this conflict. Will you please forgive me? Jesus made the first move -- shouldn't we?

Taking the Hide Road

Speaking as a gal whose done her share of travelling some high and low roads, I highly recommend the high roads. I've taken some perilous, torrential-rain, "low" roads that I had to turn around to take a higher road to travel. And, in the spiritual sense, I've taken some precarious "low" roads of doubt and fear and turned myself around to get back on the "high" roads of hope and faith.

There's some very angry, hurting people out there who are traveling some pretty low roads. Their hearts are broken for reasons only they know -- but most of all, they've never encountered love -- the true love of Jesus. Acting out and speaking vile and profane language is how they think they can make a difference in their world. I'm so sorry for them. If only they knew the freedom in taking the way of peace and joy that comes from our Savior. Oh, Lord, help us help them through our prayers and our living examples as Christ's followers. Here’s what God says:

~ Colossians 3:8 “But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth.”
~ Ephesians 4:29 “Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up that it may give grace to those who hear.”
~ Matthew 12:37 “For by your words you will be justified, and by your words, you will be condemned.”
~ Colossians 4:6 “Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.”

So, how “different” are we from those who have no sense of "gracious, seasoned-with-salt" words? Some say that “It’s normal to vent and say it like you feel it. It’s normal to be angry and to speak hatefully. Normal to some is ranting and raving right along with everyone else who is travelling on those same low roads. But, those of us who take the "High Road" way, know that God called us to live a radical love-walk-and-talk life where kindness, love, joy and peace rules. There are many differences to be found in devoted God-followers.

~ We are LOVINGLY different -- extending His love freely and unconditionally to others.
~ We are TRUTHFULLY different -- believing the truth and loving the truth, speaking the truth and living the truth.
~ We are MERCIFULLY different -- knowing that God’s mercies are new every morning, we extend His mercies to those who have failed and disappointed us.
~ We are PRAYERFULLY different -- we pray in faith, we pray because of who God is and what He can do, we pray because of what God has said in His Word. We pray because we have the assurance that God hears us and answers our prayers.

We are DIFFERENT, and DIFFERENT never felt and looked so good! Being a difference maker to those on the low roads just might be the answer to this world's problems. I think I'll grab someone's hand on the low road and show them the way on the high road! How about you?