Blessed be the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God. (Matthew 5:9)
Recently, when I check my phone I find it flooded by news and opinion pieces. These updates have been less-than peace inducing. I am repeatedly met with stories of senseless deaths, the continuing violence around the world, the rhetoric of an upsetting election, mean and thoughtless Facebook posts, and the faces of all those that have been touched by the pain our world so readily inflicts. The world we live in is so polarized, it is overwhelming to sort and process all the opinions and anger on my screen.
This past week I have developed such a deep longing for peace. Which to me, does not necessarily mean that everything is perfect and all the troubles of the world have disappeared- but that would be nice. I remember discussing Shalom (often translated as peace) with the Mission of Peace group on our first night in India. Through that conversation, we created many definitions of Shalom. The one that has always stuck with me however described Shalom as not the absence of war, but the presence of God. When I long for peace, I’m dreaming of a fundamental shift within us all that acknowledges the presence of God in the midst of conflict. A transformation of the mind and heart that entirely alters the way we approach a broken world. I’m dreaming of us all becoming peacemakers.
I think that’s what we are all called to be. To feel the pain of the world deeply. To work to alleviate suffering. To listen to others, especially those with whom we disagree, without judgment. To connect the two poles. To advocate for the oppressed. To model love in spite of disagreements. To boldly face each day with a resolve to tirelessly work for authentic connection and grace filled interactions. To pursue the things which make for peace and the building up of one another (Romans 14:19).
My brother says I am obnoxiously optimistic, and maybe this is an example of that. I’m fully aware that this is a big dream. But I think it’s also incredibly doable, because its focused on individuals. Whether or not peace is achievable, depends entirely on the way each of us approaches and interacts with our world. Every morning, every moment, we can choose to be peacemakers.
So far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Be transformed. (Romans 12)