Peacemakers

Peacemakers are called to reconcile with God.

peacemaker, one who restores peace and reconciliation between persons and even nations a peace-maker, one who cultivates peace and concord

Jesus is the ultimate Peacemaker of all the time. He is the GOAT.

Greatest of All Time…. According to the book of Isaiah 9:6, that He is the Prince of Peace.

This is the very first time and the only time that the word peacemaker is used in the Bible.

Are they at war during the time? Not really, but they are under the Roman Empire and Rome brought taxes, which the zealots hated by the way, they are the rebel.. But let us first examine why the Lord Jesus Christ used the word, peacemakers.

It is important to understand that peace taht we had was disrupted by the power of sin.

Because of shame and guilt brought by sin, we lost our inner peace.

Sin destroyed our peaceful and deep relationship with God.

Sin disupted our harmonious relationship with one another

and so the heavenly Father have to send his son, Jesus to be the peacemaker between His creation, which means us, and God.

Colossians 1:19-20

For him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.

Peacemaking had to start within.. Ourselves first and then to become conduit of God’s forgiveness to others as we also have the responsibility to help reconcile others back to God.

Peacemakers are willing to face conflict with the intention to help mediate on both sides.

The concept of peacemakers is not limited to avoiding arguments or being passive; rather, it involves making efforts to restore and maintain unity.

There is a difference between peacemaking and peacekeeping.

Peacemakers are described as those who work hard for the good of others and try to extinguish conflicts quickly rather than exacerbating them

Peacekeepers are actively pursuing reconciliation, restoration and healing.

And they strive to bring people together even if it means getting caught in the cross fire.

Peacemaker is not a Peacekeeper

Peacekeeping involves maintaining peace by avoiding conflict at all cost in order to make everyone happy.

Peacekeeping could create a false illusion of peace by walking around the issues and avoiding the issues as opposed to dealing with the issues for the sole purpose of resolving our differences by reconciliation and restoration.

Reconciliation will create a deeper relationship with the other person.

TruerReconciliation can remove the distance between two opposing sides and bring a deeper and harmonious relationship with one another.

If you disagree with me, i get it, like if you wanted to avoid conflict with your spouses, i get it… well me too… i wanted to avoid conflict, and i dont want to face conflict, i hate conflict, at home or at work, or at school, or wherever you are, because all you will do is to try and avoid the other person.

“oh man, i wshi i wouldnt see him in the hallway, etc.”

Ephesians 4:3

“Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.”

Peacemaking is a Godly attribute… This is how we become the Salt and Light of the earth by bringing people together, we are not gossipers nor those who stir up divisions.

I understand that this takes time and it just doesnt happen overnight…

And you may be in a season of healing and restoration and that’s OK

. But my hope and prayer is that as long as you stay in Christ, that God will bring you to a place of healing so you can experience reconciliation - while fully knowing that God is in control of our situations.

You may not be ready now but as you stay close to Christ, that He is going to bring healing into your life so you can walk up to that person and have that conversation in a way that honours our Lord.

That God can bring healing into your situation.

Addressing conflict does not mean that you dont have to show grace.

And that you are just going to let it go out because That’s how you feel.

Addressing conflict doesn’t mean that you are just going to walk into a situation without regard for the other person. Or you will just spit it out there and dont care how it lands - that is NOT what i am saying here…

We are still believers, and whenever we are Peacemaking, we should be walking into the situation prayerfully and have the mindset of the intention to resolve and to reconcile as children of GoD.

And when we do that, we become imitators of Christ, because Christ is the greatest peacemaker of all time.

Jesus addressed the Pharisees and even the intentions of His disciples.

Peacekeeping is an act of self-preservation rather than to face conflict and bring healing to the relationship.

Reconciliation is not meeting the person halfway, it is going all the way, even if takes you the extra mile… because guess what when God reconciled us with Him, He went all the way and beyond… he ddint send Jesus halfway; he went beyond for the peace we will have with Him through his son Jesus.

Peacekeeping is not a virture; but rather an act of self-preservation.

Peacekeeping tho, is the opposite, the eagerness to resolve and the willingness to get hurt and sacrifice for the sake of reconciliation.

Be the light and salt of this world brethren by being Peacemakers.

Because that is the very nature of God.

“but Pastor, how do i that?”

Ho do you engage in biblical way of handling conflict. It is possible to have a healthy way of resolving conflict.

Peacemakers engage in a healthy conflict resolution by setting the table so both sides can be heard and that Christ is glorified.

There has been many book written about managing and engaging on a healthy cconflict and I have listed a few here some practical steps on how to do so.

Conflict Conversation Tips:

Make sure that the conversation happens when you are both awake.

Check your tone. Must be respectful.

Explain first that the point of conversation is promote health in the relationship and not to point fingers or to condemn.

Make sure that you both agree that you are able to share what is in your heart without interruption.

Don’t go in guns blazing.

Dont go in with a list, boom, boom boom, u know why, because the walls just go up.. Instead, begin with observations such as , Hey, i noticed that…. or im beginning to notice that….

Don’t do it when you’re irritated

Don’t do it when you are tired

Don’t do it when you’re at the peak of emotion

Don’t do it when you’re hungry