Not sure how to be a peacemaker…

 

A paragraph in today’s reading again reminds me of the importance of being filled with God’s Spirit  and living by His power. It says:

A cross Christian; an anxious Christian; a discouraged, gloomy Christian; a doubting Christian; a complaining Christian; an exacting Christian; a selfish Christian; a cruel, hard-hearted Christian; a self-indulgent Christian; a Christian with a sharp tongue or bitter spirit—all these may be very earnest in their work and have honorable places in the church, but they are not Christlike Christians.

I’m not to do my own thing. Being like Jesus is being joyful, at peace, confident in God’s care, thankful, careful, unselfish, soft-hearted, unconcerned for myself, thoughtful in speech, prayerful, understanding others, meeting needs… a long list of virtue and grace. It is not just serving others but loving from the heart, both my God and His people, and having a heart of mercy toward those still in darkness and bound in sin.

This week we experienced some time with people who do much for the Lord in public but in private they were disagreeable and not like Jesus in their attitude toward some of the people they serve. It was an awkward place to be. I wanted to defend those criticized and rebuke those doing the complaining, yet the complainers need mercy and grace too. Those they attacked have a deep faith in the Lord that was being misinterpreted. I thought of this verse:

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. (Matthew 5:9)

How do I do that? How can those who justify their frustrations with their history of service be shown that good works do not make up for unkind accusations? How can I, who am also a sinner, tell others that their heart attitude is far more valuable to God than all that they do in His name? Besides that, these are people who name Jesus as their Savior and are not outsiders who know nothing about grace. For this You warn me:

Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own master that he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make him stand. (Romans 14:4)

Tread lightly. Pray with compassion. Allow the Holy Spirit to do what needs to be done — and speak only if He tells me to speak. But most importantly, learn from this to be filled with God’s Spirit all the time, living by His grace and power for I don’t know who will ring the doorbell next, or who will phone or text, or who will ask me blunt questions. Life is not predictable. Surprises happen. The only way to be ready for anything is to keep focus:

You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord God is an everlasting rock. (Isaiah 26:3–4)

This passage from the NT says the same thing, adding that a focus on Jesus also reminds me that my problems are nothing like what He endured. Focusing on Him keeps me from feeling sorry for myself…

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. (Hebrews 12:1–4)

PRAY: Jesus, right now You are not compelling me to “do something” but to pray and trust You to be the heart-changer. While being a peace-maker is appealing and the stuff of Christlike servants, it could easily take my focus off You and be an ego-builder for me. I wait on You for direction, yet hope for a lovely surprise. Those who seem to be walking in the flesh are Your children and You are able to make them stand. That also includes me.

Messengers of Peace

 

Last night’s small group study in Joshua focused on the time when the Israelites returned to the east side of the Jordan river to live after Joshua led all the tribes to victory. Those who stayed in the conquered territory became angry and wanted to go to war with the other three. Their anger was not about the move but that they had built an altar and this was against the will of God. The issue was settled peacefully, but someone noticed that Joshua was not mentioned and wondered why their leader did not deal with this conflict.

Jesus says, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God” (Matthew 5:9). Was Joshua neglecting his duty? Or did he decide to stay out of it and let them figure it out for themselves? Why was he not involved? Since Joshua is a type of Christ, does this say something to us about conflict in the church?

Today’s devotional says that God’s people are messengers of peace with two main responsibilities. One is to help others make peace with God. We do this by sharing the Gospel with them and by praying for them. Romans 10:15 says, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring glad tidings of good things!”

MacArthur says our second responsibility is to help reconcile believers to one another. While the Bible tells the dangers of conflict between people, I’m not able to recall verses that tell a third party to intervene. First, the danger of conflicts:

So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. (Matthew 5:23–24)

Likewise, husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker vessel, since they are heirs with you of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered. (1 Peter 3:7)

And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.” (Mark 11:25)

If I am involved in a conflict, my communion with God is blocked. Conflict is about seeking or having my own way. It is not an issue if my heart is set to love God and love others.

However, what do I do with disputes that do not involve me? Moses did act as a judge and representing the Law. However, Acts 7 tells how his actions in Egypt were misunderstood. A person who wronged his neighbor pushed Moses aside and said, “Who made you a ruler and a judge over us?” Perhaps Joshua stepped back for that reason. He didn’t see himself in that role or did not want that role.

 Much later, Jesus was speaking when a man said to Him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me,” He replied, “Man, who made me a judge or arbitrator over you?” (Luke 12:13–14) Another passage says this:

Therefore you have no excuse, O man, every one of you who judges. For in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, practice the very same things. (Romans 2:1)

Who am I to determine right and wrong between other people? I am a sinner too. Also, in the past, I’ve had people come to me with complaints against another person. I’ve told them to talk to the other person and to God; I’m not their advocate. Sometimes I’ve pointed them to their responsibility to forgive, but refuse to decide who is guilty and who is innocent. For one thing, in most disputes, all are guilty of something.

Besides, is it up to me to defend one side against the other? I can point people to godly principles, but never say negative things about either person, especially because I don’t know the whole story. I can bring them together and ask them to deal with it in a biblical way, but only God can know their hearts and change their thinking.

I’m warned not to avoid spiritual conflicts, but instead speak the truth in love, whether it is the Gospel needed, or a gracious word about resolving differences and forgiveness. Yet I need to keep my own heart out of it, never taking sides but seeking justice, the glory of God, and humbly pursuing His peace.

Jesus, I’m thankful that conflict in my church is so rare that no one hears much about it and that Your peace is so lovely that no one wants to lose it. I know that if You call me to be a peacemaker, my own heart must be at peace. Far better to focus on who You are and what You are doing than getting involved in any friction — unless You specifically tell me to do so. Keep me listening. Also, grant me whatever I need to share God’s peace with those who do not know Christ. Enable me to guard my own heart.

REMEMBER: 2 Corinthians 5:17–21 tells me I am a citizen of heaven and God’s ambassador, here to tell others how they can be reconciled to God through faith in Christ and His sacrifice for all. Being reconciled to God goes a long way toward eliminating conflict.