Peacemakers. What emotions does that word stir in you? It is a word that honestly I had not given much about until the last couple weeks. Since then, I have had 3 separate instances where people have been deliberately teaching about peacemakers.

The first instance really caught me off guard. Now I knew our church–in collaboration with some other area musical talents– was performing “The Peacemakers” by Karl Jenkins. Now, I am not really in tune with the music scene so I had no background knowledge about this performance. But, I was having a not so great week at work and two of the men from my small group were singing so I thought I would head on over to the church and have a listen. What I experienced was a remarkable musical experience that quieted my heart and slowed my mind down so that for the first time I felt like I really valued the “Peace, triumphant peace (that) shall reign on Earth some day.”

So, I headed home from that performance moved, but what happened the next morning got me thinking that maybe I needed to think a little deeper about this topic. I subscribe to the “Minute with Maxwell” which is a daily one-minute teaching from John Maxwell. I like to listen to it right when I get to work to help get me ready for the day. Wouldn’t you know it? The word for the day was “Peacemaker”! So, I knew I needed to write our choir director and tell him this story and that maybe I need to study what it means for me to be a peacemaker.

Finally, this last week–with the situation in Baltimore roaring on–I got my third bonk on the head. The cable and network news tends to focus mainly on the people who are disturbing the peace in situations like this. But, Eric Metaxas in his Breakpoint broadcast on Friday chose to tell us the stories that don’t get as much press. That’s right, the stories of the peacemakers in Baltimore!

By this time, even I am getting the point that maybe someone is telling me I need to start being a peacemaker!! In my vocation, I am usually a peacekeeper, but now I am starting to see that I need to be a peacemaker. Two separate actions are involved. One is much more reactive, while the other is more proactive. Outside of my vocation, where else can I be a peacemaker? Well, I still need more time to reflect and pray on that one.

What about you? Your challenge this week is to follow the links and watch the Maxwell clip and the Breakpoint commentary. What do they say to you? Is God calling us to step up and proactively work where He is working to bring peace to this world?

More to come…
Jeremy