Peace and Unity
I used to avoid conflict at all costs. I was a timid, quiet girl who learned to keep my opinions to myself to avoid getting yelled at or shamed. I thought that made me a peacemaker. Many of us have also been told to hold our tongues or keep our peace. It has become common to steer clear of topics like politics and religion to avoid arguments with family, coworkers and friends. But this approach doesn’t seem to work. We don’t have true peace or unity when we can’t talk to each other about important topics with love and respect. I used to avoid conflict, but now I speak out and fight for justice and peace.
“True peace is not merely the absence of tension. It is the presence of justice.” Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
I want to continue addressing the topics of peace, non-violence and unity because they are crucial and complicated in today’s social climate. I want to address underlying issues that contribute to poverty and violence. I have been reading a great book by Jim Wallis from which I am drawing a great deal of inspiration for this article.
Jesus said “Happy the peacemakers -- because they shall be called Sons of God. Happy those persecuted for righteousness' sake -- because theirs is the reign of the heavens. Happy are ye whenever they may reproach you, and may persecute, and may say any evil thing against you falsely for my sake -- rejoice ye and be glad, because your reward is great in the heavens, for thus did they persecute the prophets who were before you.(Matthew 5:9-12, Youngs Literal Translation)
If I didn’t know better, I would think that Jesus had been on social media! It’s a dangerous, toxic place sometimes. But the problems we face go far beyond mean comments posted on Facebook, X, Truth Social, Instagram, Tik Tok, or whatever. The FBI reported a 30% increase in murders from 2019 to 2020, the largest increase in our nation’s history. And domestic terrorism doubled between 2020 and 2022. Many people are getting angrier and more scared and desperate when they watch the news and see things being reported that potentially threaten their sense of safety and well-being. It is easy to get scared or angry or both. Being a true peacemaker is more of a challenge.
Jesus was and is the Prince of Peace. He condemned violence and would not want the name of God associated with weapons or killing. The Greek word for peace that Jesus used is eirene, which is a state of calm and tranquility, exempt from the rage and havoc of war. It is harmony in relationships, a collective sense of safety and security, prosperity for the community, human well-being or flourishing, and this peace should be evident in my state of mind and also in my actions and behavior. When Jesus talked about peacemakers, he likely envisioned the uniting of all humanity to a way of life where service to one another and the collective common good was indistinguishable from service to God. Look no further than Matthew 25 where he said, “Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it for one of the least of these brothers or sisters of Mine, you did it for Me.”
Conflict is inevitable, but war is not. A major cause of war and injustice is desiring superiority over solidarity. Often residents of low income communities are not treated like citizens facing social barriers or victims needing protection, but are treated like criminals in need of surveillance. The “peace officers” do not bring them peace or safety, but too often terrorize or kill them(see the recent story of Sonya Massey’s murder in her Springfield, Illinois home). Peacemaking attempts to solve the problems that war and violence fail to solve and often make worse. We need to fight for equal treatment, safety and security for ALL of our sons and daughters. This is not just about taking sides in an election year. This is about choosing love or hate, peace or war, in all of our relationships and communities. Jim Wallis summed it up: “Love God. Love your neighbor. That’s it. That’s everything.”
I would love for you to join the conversation in the comments below. And of course, I am going to leave you with a song about love building bridges between us. Please watch to the end. There is always hope.
Reference: The False White Gospel by Jim Wallis.
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