The Discipleship Dare Day Seventeen - Peacemaker

The most loving thing we can do for someone is to confront our conflict with them. I know you think I’ve gone crazy but I know from experience.

In High School my choir director should have confronted me about how loudly I was singing. He did not. Some of my peers made fun at me, and said unkind things. It hurt me so much that I dropped out of choir for a year until they graduated. Since singing loudly in church was normal, I sang loudly in school choir. Of course, when the director indicated that we should sing more softly as a group, I did. But my soft was medium for others. If only my choir director had taken me to the side and corrected me gently I could have been saved embarrassing myself and losing a year of choir.

My first year in college my roommate confronted me about something. It was very painful to hear her criticism. I felt awful that I had acted in a way that hurt someone else. I took the criticism, was broken before the Lord and ask for His help. I then ask forgiveness of the people I had hurt. While being corrected was difficult to face, it was the most loving thing she could have done for me. I couldn’t see my fault but she could and was kind enough to let me know I had a blind spot that needed changed.

It’s like someone telling you that your zipper is down or you have toilet paper stuck to the bottom of your shoe. While it’s embarrassing to have it brought to your attention, it’s more embarrassing to walk all around without knowing it. Ignorance is not bliss – it’s embarrassing.

One of God’s attributes is peace. Jesus came as the Prince of Peace. Peace is not ignoring problems but confronting them lovingly so they can be resolved. Jesus did what it took to resolve the debt we owed. He paid it with his own life. He is our example. We have to die to the fear of man, die to our need to be a people pleaser and die to our pride. Die and deal with conflict between us and others.

Ignoring or avoiding problems or conflicts can cause them to escalate and allow the devil to get a foothold. Romans 12:18 tells us, “If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.” This is not a suggestion; it’s God’s Word for us.

I don’t like to deal with conflict any more than anyone else, but I have experienced it’s benefits. Therefore, I do unto others what I would want them to do to me. Make peace at all costs.