Planting In Peace
Feature 1 – December 2024 – Grace & Truth Magazine
Planting In Peace
In the book of Proverbs there are dozens of verses about anger, strife and conflict. No one likes to live in a permanent state of contention and disagreement, yet sometimes life feels that way! But among the wise sayings of Proverbs we find this verse: “A wrathful man stirs up strife, but he who is slow to anger allays contention” (Prov. 15:18 NKJV ). The New Living Translation puts it this way: “A hot-tempered person starts fights; a cool-tempered person stops them.”
This gives us something to think about. Some people can enter a quiet room and suddenly stir up trouble where there was none before. Perhaps you know a person like this. May the Lord preserve us from being that person ourselves!
But there are other people who can enter an agitated room where everyone is arguing, and somehow they bring calm. Such people are a delight to know. We should notice how powerful their impact is. It’s not merely that they have a calm personality. It’s not even that they help the rest of us avoid conflict. It’s that they can actively confront an argument and bring conditions of peace into the room.
The Lord Jesus said, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God” (Mt. 5:9 NKJV). If peacemakers have a special blessing promised to them, and if they display God’s character in what they do, then this is a subject which every Christian should want to learn.
Making Peace
Everyone appreciates peaceful conditions, but often we have the wrong impression about how peace develops. We tend to think peace simply means the absence of conflict, and therefore peace will be present if we can just avoid tension and disagreement as much as possible. But the Bible teaches us that peace has to be made. The most important aspect of this truth is found in Colossians 1:19-22. There we read that we once were enemies of God, but the work of reconciliation has been completed through Christ, who “made peace through the blood of His cross” (v.20). Notice that, in order for us to enjoy peace with God, it was necessary for the Lord Jesus to make peace through the sacrifice of Himself.
This truth goes even farther when we read about another aspect of peacemaking. Not only was there enmity between us and God, but also there was enmity between Jews and Gentiles. Yet now, as Ephesians 2:11-18 declares, both Jews and Gentiles can be joined together in the Church by faith in the work of Christ. We read: “He Himself is our peace, who has made both [Jews and Gentiles] one … so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace, and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross” (vv.14-16). Notice again that, in order for Jews and Gentiles to enjoy peace with one another in the Church, it was necessary for Christ to make peace through the sacrifice of Himself.
Thus we see that peace does not just happen. Peace has to be made. There must be a peacemaker for conditions of peace to prevail, and peacemaking requires sacrifice. This is why we so rarely have peace! We do not want to be peacemakers because we don’t want to give up the things we consider to be our rights, our viewpoints, our status, our self-determination. But, the Lord Jesus had to go to the cross in order to make peace. For us, too, there must be a death – the death of self – if there will be conditions of peace.
Wisdom From Above
The book of James provides some further important principles about peacemaking. James knew there was much conflict among the Christians he was addressing. A survey of his letter reveals some of the details. They were showing favoritism and partiality based on social and economic status. These Christians lived hypocritically by praising God one moment and insulting their brethren the next. They were fighting among themselves, speaking evil things about each other and grumbling against one another. The last paragraph of the epistle suggests they would even watch fellow believers wander from the truth, remaining reluctant to get involved.
These are certainly not Christ-like attitudes. What might be done to address these problems and bring peace? James 3:13-18, right in the heart of the letter, provides some important guidance in this regard. First, we have to admit that bitterness, envy and selfishness are present in our hearts (v.14). We might force ourselves to act nicely when we are together, but that is not good enough. If our attitudes are wrong beneath the surface, in our hearts and in our thoughts, then we are living according to earthly, sensual wisdom (v.15). The word “sensual” might also be translated “soulish.” It’s a term that refers to our natural thoughts, instincts and emotions in contrast to what is spiritual (consider 1 Cor. 2:14, 15:44; Jude 19). James goes even further by saying that earthly wisdom is not merely neutral but is actually demonic.
What we need is the wisdom from above, which is “first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits” (v.17). These are significant points. Heavenly wisdom is peaceable, but before that it is pure. Some might say that making compromises will bring peace, and it is true that compromise might be useful for certain situations, such as in business or politics. In spiritual things, however, the idea of compromise is usually a smokescreen for allowing impurities to come in through the side door. If there is no purity, there cannot be true peace. But the same is true in reverse: heavenly wisdom is not pure if it is not also peaceable! If we aren’t enjoying conditions of peace, then we haven’t been living with wisdom from above – even if we have insisted on purity.
As we read further we find more characteristics. Heavenly wisdom is gentle. A heavy-handed imposition of rules and regulations might cause others to stay in line, but that is not peace. Heavenly wisdom is also willing to yield. This means it will be easy for others to talk to us and even to disagree with us. If we quickly feel insulted or become defensive about our positions and viewpoints, we are not being guided by heavenly wisdom, and we will never help to bring peace. Think back to the angry person in Proverbs 15:18 mentioned at the start of our article, who stirs up strife where there was none.
Heavenly wisdom is full of mercy and good fruits. How attractive is a person who is full of mercy! It implies compassion, helpful support, and a sense of awareness about someone else’s difficult situation. If we understand what it means to live in mercy, we will not condemn the guiltless (Mt. 12:7). How often are we harsh toward those who might simply be experiencing a time of weakness or of need. That type of attitude is not mercy, and therefore it will never bring peace. By contrast, heavenly wisdom is full of good fruits. There will be sweet results! The plurality of “fruits” would imply a beautiful variety of outcomes, not restricted to one tightly controlled set of conditions.
The passage in James 3 concludes this way: “The fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace” (v.18). The fruit of righteousness will be present in our families or in our Christian gatherings if we always do what is right. But notice that a harvest of righteousness will only come if we have planted our crops in peace. In other words, if we do not care about peace, we cannot truly have biblical righteousness. We might think we have righteousness if we avoid worldliness or if we know lots of truth; but if there is no peace, all we have is legalism or pride. In that case we can be sure that conflict and tension will soon expose our self-made, so-called righteousness as nothing more than a sham.
Becoming A Peacemaker
James 3:18 refers to “those who make peace.” This shows that only some people are peacemakers. However, we should all aspire to be those people! It is not a matter of spiritual gift but of Christ-like behavior.
How then can we become peacemakers? Part of the answer can be found in the points we have already considered. We must be willing to lay down our lives for our brethren since peacemaking requires sacrifice. We must seek heavenly wisdom, allowing the Spirit of God to form Christ-like qualities in us, such as gentleness and mercy.
Here are three additional principles (among many others, no doubt) to help us along the path of becoming peacemakers:
- Talk less. “A man of understanding holds his peace” (Prov. 11:12). “The heart of the righteous studies how to answer” (15:28). “Do you see a man hasty in his words? There is more hope for a fool than for him” (29:20). These and other proverbs like them will teach us much about this matter. Although staying quiet does not always imply wisdom, the inability to stay quiet is always a mark of foolishness. No one wants to share their burdens with someone who always has an immediate opinion and who always thinks he is right. Think of how Job’s three friends were full of words, yet it was Elihu, a fourth friend, who finally had a godly answer – after he was quiet for 31 chapters!
- Listen more. It’s human nature to agree with the first perspective we hear, but that is disastrous for peacemaking. In Proverbs 18 we read: “He who answers a matter before he hears it, it is folly and shame to him” and, “The first one to plead his cause seems right, until his neighbor comes and examines him” (vv.13,17). This means that peacemaking requires careful decision-making and impartial listening. We must always be ready to consider more than one side to any conflict. In the same chapter we also read that “the ear of the wise seeks knowledge” (v.15). In the context of peacemaking, this means that sometimes we will need to seek out further information before we can be helpful.
- Care about peace. Romans 14:19 tells us to “pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another.” Similarly, 1 Peter 3:10-11 (a passage quoted from Psalm 34) says, “He who would love life and see good days … let him seek peace and pursue it.” The Greek word translated “pursue” is the same word used in other contexts for persecution. Think how much energy Saul of Tarsus devoted to persecuting Christians! He chased them from city to city until he could apprehend them. That is the same kind of vigor we should have in pursuing peace. As a side note, it’s an interesting study to consider all the virtues which followers of Jesus Christ should pursue.
If we are pursuing peace we will set aside our personal preferences, as Romans 14 teaches. We will not allow personal preferences to become major conflicts. If we pursue peace we will emphasize the things that build each other up. Without peace, our Christian congregations might be well-behaved or well-taught, but they will never be healthy.
Should We Just Watch?
Peacemaking requires a sense of prudence. We should not involve ourselves with every conflict we hear about. “He who passes by and meddles in a quarrel not his own is like one who takes a dog by the ears” (Prov. 26:17). If we have no prior relationship with those who are quarreling – if we are just passing by, as the proverb says – we are not likely to be the ones God would use to bring peace in a situation. Much damage has been done by those who inserted themselves into troubles that did not concern them.
However, much more damage has been done by those who simply watch as conflicts escalate in their families or among their brethren. When two Christians in Philippi were not getting along, Paul appealed to a third believer to help them (Phil. 4:2-3). This is difficult work. It requires wisdom, compassion, knowledge, prudence, dedication and genuine love for the Lord’s people.
Conflicts and difficulties are part of life, even among God’s people. But should we just stand nearby, shaking our heads sadly while our families disintegrate and Christian assemblies are decimated? May God help us to be peacemakers! It is the character of our Savior, and we have every spiritual resource at our disposal to bring God’s peace into the room.
By Stephen Campbell
Virtues Followers Of Jesus Christ Should Pursue Pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another. —Romans 14:19 Pursue love. —1 Corinthians 14:1Pursue what is good both for yourselves and for all. —1 Thessalonians 5:15 Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness. —1 Timothy 6:11 Pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. —2 Timothy 2:22 Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord. —Hebrews 12:14 Seek peace and pursue it. —1 Peter 3:11