Being a Peacemaker This Christmas (Part 1)

December 6, 2023

There's no such thing as a perfect family. What decisions can you

make to bring peace into your holiday celebration this year? Are you

willing to become a peacemaker?

Matt. 5:9 “Blessed are the peacemakers for they will be called children of God.”

Over the next two blog posts I want to give you seven steps according

to God’s Word for resolving conflict and restoring broken

relationships.

If I want to be a peacemaker…

1. I MAKE THE FIRST MOVE      

We make the first move. We don’t wait on somebody else. We take the initiative.

God expects us to make the first step. That’s what’s called being a peacemaker. Not a peacekeeper. But a peacemaker.

God cares about reconciliation. Here’s what Jesus said in Matthew 5:23. This is still in the Sermon on the Mount.

Matt 5:23-24 So

if you are presenting a sacrifice at the altar in the Temple and you

suddenly remember that someone has something against you, 24leave your sacrifice there at the altar. Go and be reconciled to that person. Then come and offer your sacrifice to God.

How many of you have ever had an argument with somebody on the way to

church in the car?  The Bible says it would actually be better for us

to sit in the car and work out that disagreement than for us to come in

to church. It’s that important. Reconciliation takes priority.    

You make the first move. Don’t wait.

Here’s the second step: 

2. I Ask God for Wisdom

The Bible says in James 1 that if we ask God for wisdom God will give it to us.  

James 1:5. If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking.

So the first thing we do is we make the decision, “I’m not going to

go along with this unresolved anymore. I’m going to take the first step.

I’m not going to wait on them.” Then I say, “God I really need your

help. Give me wisdom and the right words to say.”

3. I Begin with What's My Fault

We don’t start with what they’ve done wrong. We don’t start with a bunch of accusations. We’ll get to that.

The conflict may be 90 percent their fault. But we can find something

to confess. We can find something that was our mistake even if it was

our poor response, maybe even in our defensiveness. And instead of

accusing, attacking and blaming, I first look at what’s going on inside

me.

James 4:1 What is causing the quarrels and fights among you? Don’t they come from the evil desires at war within you?

The conflict that you’re having with other people is inside of you.

It actually starts in you. When I’m at peace inside, what’s outside

doesn’t upset me as much.

• It’s always more rewarding to resolve a conflict than to dissolve a relationship.  

Here’s the point. God is saying we need to confess our part of the

conflict first. I’m realistic and I’m asking myself, “Am I being

insensitive? Am I being over sensitive? Am I being over demanding?”

You just do an honest evaluation. What are my blind spots? Then once you’ve done that, you confess your part in the problem.

Tomorrow we will continue this blog devotion with part 2.