Wouldn’t it be nice if we could declare a day for all conflicts to be resolved? Well, someone came up with that idea and declared October 15 Conflict Resolution Day.
Actually, true and perfect conflict resolution will come when Jesus Christ returns. Still, I don’t think that’s what they had in mind when the originators set aside a day for this purpose.
So in light of Conflict Resolution Day, I offer this devotional excerpt from Daily Reflections on the Names of God:
Prince of Peace
Making Peace
The LORD is Peace (Yahweh Shalom)
Luke 12:49-53
“Do you think I came to bring peace to earth? No!”
(Luke 12:51 God’s Word®).
Are you a peacekeeper or a peacemaker?
Peacekeepers avoid conflict at all costs. Their motto is, “Don’t rock the boat.” Peacemakers focus on reconciliation, and they recognize that healthy conflict may be necessary for reconciliation to occur.
Jesus was a peacemaker. He was less concerned with keeping peace than He was with making peace. His earthly life—and His death—centered on making peace between God and man. Yet some of the things He said did not sound peaceable at all.
Jesus understood that real peace does not ignore conflict. True peace addresses the cause of the problem to remove it permanently. For man to have peace with God, Jesus dealt with the problem of our sin with finality and in the most violent way possible.
Being a disciple of Jesus Christ means we are to say what people need to hear rather than what they want to hear. Of course, we are to do so gently and lovingly. Avoiding conflict may be easier, but Yahweh Shalom doesn’t call us to take the easy way. He calls us to be peacemakers.
In which of your relationships have you avoided speaking God’s words of true peace?
Wow! You’ve done it again. This is a real eye-opener to recognize the difference between keeping peace and making peace. Beautiful challenge.
Thank you, Janice. You’re always so encouraging!
Excellent word, Ava. Thanks. I’ll highlight this on the Christian Poets & Writers blog – http://www.christianpoetsandwriters.com.
Thank you, Mary!
Thank you for this clear differentiation. Sometimes it feels like people are splitting hairs when they consider differences like this, but this is a very necessary difference to understand. A while back a speaker pointed out the difference between being a pacifist and a peacemaker. The two of these together really point us toward what God wants from and for us.
Thank you, Tina. You’re right – it really does make a difference!