It’s Getting Harder And Harder To Be A Peacemaker

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

Jesus taught his disciples to be peacemakers. He was even able to teach men like James and John (who wanted to call down fire on a town that didn’t welcome Jesus) and Peter (who cut off someone’s ear) to be peacemakers. If you doubt that, consider how full John’s writings are of love and how much Peter talks about suffering patiently. Yes, Jesus was the great Teacher.

But Jesus never met Al.

Al Gorithm. You’ve probably heard of him. He’s the one who keeps track of everything you do online and then uses that information to figure out what kind of ads you’re likely to respond to and what kind of content will get you to slow down and pay attention rather than scroll right past. Al Gorithm isn’t necessarily trying to hurt you, but neither does he care about what’s good for you. He cares about getting you to respond with your attention and your dollars.

What does that have to do with peacemaking? Well, the thing is, Al is going to put in front of you content that is similar to what you’re already consuming. That includes opinions. And he’s going to put in front of me content and opinions similar to what I’m already consuming. So if you and I started out in opposite camps on a given issue, we are each being fed by Al non-stop content that reinforces those opposite opinions. He’s a two-faced double-dealer. He tells you what you want to hear, and he tells me the opposite because it’s what I want to hear. Some of the content could be complete lies. It doesn’t matter to Al. But this means that the line in the sand that divided you and me in the beginning is likely to become a deep and dangerous ravine, so that no peacemaker will ever be able to convince either of us even to consider the other’s opinion any longer. Al doesn’t care.

But Satan does. He loves it, whether one side or both sides refuse to show any respect to the other; refuse to investigate the truth of any claims; refuse to sit down and reason together.

And Satan really loves it when we start sharing around what amounts to gossip without checking or caring whether it’s true. And we do this even though we all know Al’s good friend AI has an amazing talent for creating photos and videos that look real but are completely fake.

So, it’s getting harder and harder to be a peacemaker, but God still wants us to try. That means trying to understand both sides of an argument, not ignoring differences. But to actually achieve peace, everyone involved in the conflict must be willing to show some degree of respect to the other parties. Even the greatest peacemaker can’t force peace on people who don’t want it. In fact, Christ’s example through the ordeal of his trial shows us that when people are riled up with self-righteousness, a peacemaker is better off to say nothing. Peacemakers know how to wait for the right moment– or create it– when hearts are soft enough to listen.

Many of us are stuck in echo chambers, and often we don’t realize it or we don’t care. What hope do we have for bridging the ever-widening gaps between us? Jesus has a track record of bringing about reconciliations that seem impossible. He bridged the chasm between man and God, bringing us back into relationship again after so great a fall. He brought Jews and Gentiles together into one church. And if he could make peacemakers out of Peter, James, and John, then he can teach us to be peacemakers too. But John was exiled and Peter and James were martyred for their faith. Peacemakers can’t force peace. They need people who are humble enough to learn of Jesus, for he was meek and lowly in heart (Matthew 11:29 KJV).

For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation. Ephesians 2:14

But if you bite and devour one another, beware lest you be consumed by one another! Galatians 5:15

by Christie Cole Atkins

Dear Heavenly Father, You’ve already done so much to bring peace to the world, and yet we know that until we get to heaven there will always be conflict as well. May Your true children never give up trying to be peacemakers. Encourage us, Lord. Give us hearts of love, for our enemies and for the truth, for Your church and for You, God. We pray in the name of Jesus the Christ, Amen.