If peacemakers were honored with the same devotion and passion as war heroes are, the world would be a different place. Perhaps countries need a Tomb of the Unknown Peacemaker. Jesus forgave those who treated Him violently, but He praised the peacemakers.

The world has spent far too many resources on warfare (engagement in making war) and far too few on peacefare (engagement in creating genuine peace). If peace is ever planned, organized, and carried out with the same intensity and commitment that war is, we’ll be bombarded with love. Stockpile spiritual weapons within so that you will be prepared to wage peace and answer Christ’s call to love your enemies.

Peacemakers speak the truth with love, and humility. Neither peacemakers nor bullies always accomplish their goals, but when peacemakers fall short, they don’t leave a wake of hate. Fear makes bullies, courage creates peacemakers.

Bullies use intimidation and hostility to relate to others. Peacemakers use kindness and compassion. Bullies can force compliance, but peacemakers create cooperation. Since the world is full of human caused trouble, there must be more troublemakers than peacemakers.

Anybody can escalate conflict by stoking it with anger and insults. Peacemakers choose to extinguish it. As long as people’s hearts are armed and prepared to harm others, they will find or make weapons. Peacemakers disarm hearts.

A sincere smile is an amazing peacemaker. It’s hard to be hostile to someone who is wearing a heart-felt smile.

Peacemakers don’t disrespect, insult, or intimidate people who disagree with them. They don’t let people provoke them to anger. Instead, peacemakers prompt people into peace.

Peacemakers don’t support, engage in, or deny the existence of injustice, but speak out and seek peaceful ways to alleviate it. They believe that people who do or promote injustice are deceived and don’t see clearly, so peace makers confront them with both truth and compassion.

If you reject the feeling of being insulted, there’s no insult. Peacemakers may disagree with people, but they refuse to be hurt or insulted by what people say.

Peacemaking requires great courage. Often in a disagreement, both sides attack and try to silence the peacemaker who tries to help them end their conflict.

It’s hard to be a peacemaker if you’re inwardly full of anxiety. Peacemaking begins within.

Love does not approve of wrongdoing. Instead, it offers healing, redemption, and restoration.

Peace makers need open hearts. However, if you won’t look honestly at your own heart, how can you open it up for anyone else to see? Unfortunately, we are often more interested in what makes us feel better than we are in knowing the truth.

A peacemaking thoughts: Many people falsely believe that hostility is the only answer to hostility. All humans are deceived to some degree about various things. None of us is 100% right about what we believe is true. If we human beings would seek for and submit to truth, we would be united, but self-interest and self-protection prohibit that. Misdeeds that you conceal, clog your conscience. Those you reveal, help it heal. “Confess your faults one to another.” -James 5:16

Coexistence is fine. Cooperation is better. Heart-felt kindness is best.

Fear often causes people to violate their conscience and do what they know is wrong. Peacemaking helps heal their conscience, remove their fears, and turn their heart to what is right. People with no fear can’t be made to do anything against their will.

The early Christ-followers were the world’s most amazing peacemakers. Search for: The Joy Of Early Christianity.