“The core idea is that life is complex, full of moving parts and relationships and situations, and when any of these is out of alignment or missing, your peace (shalom) breaks down. Life is no longer whole. It needs to be restored.”

Tim Mackie 

Matthew 5:9

True peace requires taking what’s broken and restoring it to wholeness, whether it’s in our lives, our relationships, or in our world. 

Peacemaking is take what’s missing, and restoring it to wholeness.

Hebrews 12:14

“To proclaim ‘Peace, peace,’ when there is no peace, is the work of the false prophet, not the Christian witness.” John Stott 

Luke 17:3–4, Romans 12:18

View conflict as opportunity

View conflict as process.

1. Glorify God
2. Get the log out of your own eye
3. Gently restore
4. Go be reconciled

Ephesians 2:13–17

“The right translation is literal—“peacemakers”—those who pursue it and spread it, establishing it around themselves, hence “artisans of peace.”

Peacemaking is take what’s missing, and restoring it to wholeness.

Peacemaker- Ken Sandy

Resolving Everyday Conflict

SCRIPTURE: Take time reading and allow God to speak to you. When you are done, look for a verse that particularly spoke to you that day, and write it in your journal.

Read 

James 3:13-18, Matthew 5:9, Luke 17:3-4, Ephesians 2:13–17

OBSERVATION:

What do you think God is saying to you in this scripture? Ask the Holy Spirit to teach you and reveal Jesus to you.

APPLICATION:

Personalize what you have read, by asking yourself how it applies to your life right now. Perhaps it is instruction, encouragement, a new promise, or corrections for a particular area of your life. Write how this scripture can apply to you today.

PRAYER:

This can be as simple as asking God to help you use this scripture, or even a prayer for a greater insight on what He may be revealing to you. Remember, prayer is a two-way conversation, so be sure to listen to what God has to say! Now, write it out.

QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION:

The Wisdom of Being a Peacemaker Discussion Questions

James 3:13-18

1. Read James 3:17-18. Does this sound like another passage of Scripture? Which passage and why does it remind you of it?
2. What does a wise person have to do to bring peace?
3. On a scale of 1 to 10, 1 being low and 10 being a high peace lover, how would you rate yourself after considering the six qualities (gentle, open to reason, full of mercy, good fruits, impartial, and sincere) of a peace lover? Why?
4. How do we show peace? How do we pursue peace?
5. Why is it important to guard our peace?
6. Why is peace such hard work?
7. Which of the action steps given (at peace with God, at peace with others, help others who are in conflict, and lead other to be at peace with God) do you need to take?
8. Why is it so hard to deal with conflict the way the Bible tells us to?
9. How does glorifying God help with removing conflict?
10. Read Matthew 7:3-5 and Proverbs 28:13. What are these verses telling us to do?
11. Read Matthew 18:15-20 and Galatians 6:1-2. How are we to go about restoring others and resolving conflict?
12. Read Matthew 5:23-24, 6:12, and Ephesians 4:32. How does being in conflict with others affect our relationship with God? What are we supposed to do about it?

“You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.”              Philippians 2:5