I am a middle child. Being the only girl in the family, I don't have all the middle child traits, but one I did inherit was peacemaking. I have this crazy strong desire to almost always want everyone to get along. I cringe at conflict, and yet I want everything out in the open so people can deal with it and move on.
Being a peacemaker is not the same as having mercy...although they cross over a little with a need for compassion. In 1997, for my first "real job" I was required to take a ministry type test/evaluation. Sadly, mercy was not even on my chart....I scored an extreme low. My world was really black and white then. I was embarrassed by this reality and began asking the Lord to work in my heart. It has been many years and I have had to walk through very difficult situations, but I believe the result has been that I have grown in my understanding of compassion, mercy and what it means to be a person of peace. (Not that I have arrived my any means!!)
One thing that I have learned is that compassion/mercy is not just an "emotion". It needs to be a heart decision that is bound with wisdom and clear direction from the Father.
In a similar fashion, a peacemaker is not someone that "just wants all people to agree and get along". A true peacemaker is someone that has aligned themselves with the Prince of Peace and shares HIS passion: "that all will become children of God."
Non-believers can show great mercy. How many wonderful charitable organization are there in the world today? Believers obviously need to be in the mercy "business", too; however, it is only Christ and those that truly follow Him that can bring peace.
I recognize that there are some really "hot" topics in America and all over the world today that are tearing at the Christian community. How can we heal? How can we unite?
I am also saddened to see so many Christian families that simply don't know how to work as a team. How can we work as one? How can we build each other up?
Here is what I know scripture tells us: Matthew 5:9 "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God."
Prayer James 5:16 "Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective." Am I praying for my fellow believers? Am I praying for sinners? And I don't just mean "in general"....I mean by name! I have been so surprised over the years that when I faithfully pray for a person and over a situation how powerful and effective prayer really is!
Lov E 1 Peter 4:8 "Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins." Am I loving people with whom I disagree? I don't mean...."I love you because Jesus said I had to love you attitude"...I mean, am I washing people's feet kind of love! 1 Corinthians 13 kind of sacrificial love not expecting anything in return...
Th A nkfulness Colossians 2:6-7 "So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in Him, rooted and built up in Him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness." Am I thankful for my local church or am I only finding fault in its practices and persons? Am I joining a movement that is determined to bring about unity and restoration or am I condemning and making a divide with my deeds and decisions? Maybe there are things that need to change, but can I start by making a list of things for which I am thankful? Am I showing my thankfulness for my spouse and my children? Have I written them notes of gratitude or verbally shared a thank you for at least one thing today?
Patien Ce Proverbs 19:11 "A person’s wisdom yields patience; it is to one’s glory to overlook an offense." This verse is not talking about overlooking sin. Yes, I believe in a biblical manner we need to address sin; however, am I offering grace where it can be blessed onto someone? So often we ask the Lord for patience. If we look closely at scripture, we will see that patience comes out of spiritual wisdom. Where am I being called to be be a rock of long-suffering for someone or some situation?
Agre Ement 2 Samuel 3:12 "Then Abner sent messengers on his behalf to say to David, 'Whose land is it? Make an agreement with me, and I will help you bring all Israel over to you.' ”
We see all kinds of agreements in the Bible. Yes, some good and some bad. What we have to learn to ask ourselves is: where can I make an agreement with an "opposing party"? No, I am not willing to compromise my integrity, but where can I allow for a differing of opinion or where can I sacrifice not having all things the way I would like them?
Hu M ility Philippians 2:3 "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves." In my current situation, what is my goal? What do I hope to accomplish? Sometimes asking myself those two questions will show me where my heart is.
Underst A nding Psalms 119:34 "Give me understanding, so that I may keep your law
and obey it with all my heart." Often disagreements happen simply because we didn't truly understand the intentions of the other person. We assume upon his or her plans & heart attitude. Let's face it...most of the time we assume the worst instead of offering grace!
K indness Colossians 3:12 "Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience." Yes, I believe that we are to cloth ourselves with the armor of God! I recognize that I am daily in a spiritual battle. I see it around me now more than ever before in my life! However, do I take the time to also put on the garments of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience? Am I only ready to "rebuke" and "correct" or am I equally ready to show all manner of love? Part of the armor is "feet that are ready with the gospel of peace".
Fri E ndship Proverbs 12:26 "The righteous choose their friends carefully, but the way of the wicked leads them astray." I believe we should have many circles of friendships. I wrote a blog last fall on Relationships. As believers we need to be very purposeful about boundaries and areas of influence. We are warned repeatedly throughout the Bible about not all relationships being healthy. Yes, I believe that there are times when we must break fellowship with people. However, this should not be something by which we are characterized. The goal is to be at peace with all men.
Fo R giveness Psalm 130:4 "But with you there is forgiveness, so that we can, with reverence, serve you." Where do I need to seek forgiveness today? Maybe it is with an individual, maybe it is with my family, maybe it is with a group of fellow believers...maybe it is simply with God? How can we serve Him if we are not a people that seek forgiveness and offer it freely.
Let us be a peacemaking people today. Let us truly show what it means to be sons and daughters of God. AT
The acrostic and verses are taken from Truth and Dare. The questions and "opinions" are mine. :)
Being a peacemaker is not the same as having mercy...although they cross over a little with a need for compassion. In 1997, for my first "real job" I was required to take a ministry type test/evaluation. Sadly, mercy was not even on my chart....I scored an extreme low. My world was really black and white then. I was embarrassed by this reality and began asking the Lord to work in my heart. It has been many years and I have had to walk through very difficult situations, but I believe the result has been that I have grown in my understanding of compassion, mercy and what it means to be a person of peace. (Not that I have arrived my any means!!)
One thing that I have learned is that compassion/mercy is not just an "emotion". It needs to be a heart decision that is bound with wisdom and clear direction from the Father.
In a similar fashion, a peacemaker is not someone that "just wants all people to agree and get along". A true peacemaker is someone that has aligned themselves with the Prince of Peace and shares HIS passion: "that all will become children of God."
Non-believers can show great mercy. How many wonderful charitable organization are there in the world today? Believers obviously need to be in the mercy "business", too; however, it is only Christ and those that truly follow Him that can bring peace.
I recognize that there are some really "hot" topics in America and all over the world today that are tearing at the Christian community. How can we heal? How can we unite?
I am also saddened to see so many Christian families that simply don't know how to work as a team. How can we work as one? How can we build each other up?
Here is what I know scripture tells us: Matthew 5:9 "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God."
Prayer James 5:16 "Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective." Am I praying for my fellow believers? Am I praying for sinners? And I don't just mean "in general"....I mean by name! I have been so surprised over the years that when I faithfully pray for a person and over a situation how powerful and effective prayer really is!
Lov E 1 Peter 4:8 "Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins." Am I loving people with whom I disagree? I don't mean...."I love you because Jesus said I had to love you attitude"...I mean, am I washing people's feet kind of love! 1 Corinthians 13 kind of sacrificial love not expecting anything in return...
Th A nkfulness Colossians 2:6-7 "So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in Him, rooted and built up in Him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness." Am I thankful for my local church or am I only finding fault in its practices and persons? Am I joining a movement that is determined to bring about unity and restoration or am I condemning and making a divide with my deeds and decisions? Maybe there are things that need to change, but can I start by making a list of things for which I am thankful? Am I showing my thankfulness for my spouse and my children? Have I written them notes of gratitude or verbally shared a thank you for at least one thing today?
Patien Ce Proverbs 19:11 "A person’s wisdom yields patience; it is to one’s glory to overlook an offense." This verse is not talking about overlooking sin. Yes, I believe in a biblical manner we need to address sin; however, am I offering grace where it can be blessed onto someone? So often we ask the Lord for patience. If we look closely at scripture, we will see that patience comes out of spiritual wisdom. Where am I being called to be be a rock of long-suffering for someone or some situation?
Agre Ement 2 Samuel 3:12 "Then Abner sent messengers on his behalf to say to David, 'Whose land is it? Make an agreement with me, and I will help you bring all Israel over to you.' ”
We see all kinds of agreements in the Bible. Yes, some good and some bad. What we have to learn to ask ourselves is: where can I make an agreement with an "opposing party"? No, I am not willing to compromise my integrity, but where can I allow for a differing of opinion or where can I sacrifice not having all things the way I would like them?
Hu M ility Philippians 2:3 "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves." In my current situation, what is my goal? What do I hope to accomplish? Sometimes asking myself those two questions will show me where my heart is.
Underst A nding Psalms 119:34 "Give me understanding, so that I may keep your law
and obey it with all my heart." Often disagreements happen simply because we didn't truly understand the intentions of the other person. We assume upon his or her plans & heart attitude. Let's face it...most of the time we assume the worst instead of offering grace!
K indness Colossians 3:12 "Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience." Yes, I believe that we are to cloth ourselves with the armor of God! I recognize that I am daily in a spiritual battle. I see it around me now more than ever before in my life! However, do I take the time to also put on the garments of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience? Am I only ready to "rebuke" and "correct" or am I equally ready to show all manner of love? Part of the armor is "feet that are ready with the gospel of peace".
Fri E ndship Proverbs 12:26 "The righteous choose their friends carefully, but the way of the wicked leads them astray." I believe we should have many circles of friendships. I wrote a blog last fall on Relationships. As believers we need to be very purposeful about boundaries and areas of influence. We are warned repeatedly throughout the Bible about not all relationships being healthy. Yes, I believe that there are times when we must break fellowship with people. However, this should not be something by which we are characterized. The goal is to be at peace with all men.
Fo R giveness Psalm 130:4 "But with you there is forgiveness, so that we can, with reverence, serve you." Where do I need to seek forgiveness today? Maybe it is with an individual, maybe it is with my family, maybe it is with a group of fellow believers...maybe it is simply with God? How can we serve Him if we are not a people that seek forgiveness and offer it freely.
Let us be a peacemaking people today. Let us truly show what it means to be sons and daughters of God. AT
The acrostic and verses are taken from Truth and Dare. The questions and "opinions" are mine. :)
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