Peacemaking is for Kingdom People

From Relevant, John Huckins and peacemaking as a daily choice that begins close to home:

“Peacemaking has been disintegrated from our understanding of the gospel. It has been stigmatized and outsourced rather than embraced and embodied. Living as everyday peacemakers allows us to fully embrace our Resurrection identity as New Creation and reintegrates our role as reconcilers back into our understanding of the gospel.

The work of peacemaking doesn’t just happen on an international, political level; it happens in our neighborhoods. It can no longer be outsourced to politicians. Peacemaking is a grassroots movement that begins to sow seeds of hope that ripple positively into our global village.

What does it look like to be a presence of reconciliation in your neighborhood?  What might it mean to follow Jesus into conflict with initiatives of hope rather than withdrawing out of fear? It’s looking into the eyes of the woman and child without a home and acknowledging their dignity. It’s having that conversation with your friend or family member that will finally clear enough space for your relationship to begin the road to healing.

It’s asking the hard questions of the impact of your business decisions on those outside of your direct contact. It’s giving a voice to those that don’t have one on your neighborhood councils, business groups and rec centers. It’s choosing to first and foremost view “the other” through the lens of a shared humanity. In the end, choosing to live as peacemakers may expose us to the most violence. But with Jesus as the ultimate peacemaker, we understanding that peace can only truly be made real as we follow in the sacrificial Way of the Cross. And when we live into this reality, we rediscover again what it truly means to be human.”