But is that making peace? Peacemaking takes more than one person. Conflict is a part of living around people. Any time and anywhere that there is a group, there are going to be times when peace breaks down and there is conflict.
I did a quick search. There were over 583,000 books on conflict at Amazon.com including one with this title: "Tongue Fu. How to deflect, disarm and disfuse any verbal conflict"
And over 500 books with the words making peace in the title such as these:
1. Making peace with money
2. Making peace with food
3. Making peace with your thighs
It’s a lot easier to make peace with food or your thighs than it is with people. Yet it’s something the Bible calls us to. And as Christmas comes, we are reminded of the call for peace, the struggle for peace and the Savior who Isaiah said would be called, “Wonderful, Counselor, the Mighty God, the Prince of Peace…” Yet our reality is often something different which is echoed in the words of one Christmas carol, “I heard the bells on Christmas Day”:
“And in despair I bowed my head, there is no peace on earth I said,
For hate is strong and mocks the song, of peace on earth goodwill to men.”
But as followers of Christ, we are called to be peace makers. “Blessed are the peace makers.” Not blessed are the peace lovers. Everybody loves peace. Not blessed are the peace breakers. That’s an easy thing to do. Nor is it blessed are the peaceful who are never troubled. No, it is blessed are those who make peace—who actively pursue peace and resolve conflict.
What are you doing to pursue peace in your relationships? Do you ever initiate peace? Although peace is not possible with everyone, we have a responsibility to pursue it..."as much as depends on you" (Rom. 12.18).
What are you doing to pursue peace in your relationships? Do you ever initiate peace? Although peace is not possible with everyone, we have a responsibility to pursue it..."as much as depends on you" (Rom. 12.18).
Shalom ya'll.
