Peacemakers
There is a bible verse found in Matthew that says, “Blessed are the peacemakers…”
I love this verse for a lot of reasons, but one of them is that it serves as a simple reminder to myself to always strive for peace. There are a lot of ways that peace can be achieved, whether it is within ourselves or with those around us.
I believe that peace is not just a word, a state, a condition, or some unachievable reality. Given, I believe that peace is something that is not always achieved easily, but it is something special and worth pursuing. I am not talking about world peace, because that is not necessarily in our control. I am talking about daily decisions that promote peace in our lives, the lives of those around us, and our community.
The events that have occurred within the past year have caused a societal unrest like never before. The world has been full of darkness, and many are aching to “break out” and see the light of normalcy again. One important thing to point out though is that we are never going to be “normal” again. At least not in the way we once were. What I mean by that is, yes, we may return to some degree of normalcy in the activities we can do, the way we are permitted to gather, et cetera.
But the way we live our lives, appreciate every breath and every day, and treat the people we interact with? I hope that does not go back to normal. I hope that we move forward from this year of darkness with more light. I know that sounds a bit naïve consid ering all that this past year has taken from us, but that is my hope.
I hope people come out of this with more appreciation, respect, and love for the gift of life. I hope that, as awful as COVID-19 has been, that it can somehow serve as or provide us with a new lens for viewing the world. A lens in which we see our neighbors, no matter our differences, as human beings who deserve just as much kindness and patience as we would wish for ourselves. A lens in which we see no set of differences as more important than keeping the peace.
There is a time to take a stand, and there is a time to keep the peace. Sometimes, the best outcome can include both. One can take a stand for what they believe while also being able to choose peace in the end.
The bottom line should always be peace and love. Truth can be told with love. Sometimes, truth might consequentially stir things up and rock the boat a bit. The aim, though, should always be peace. A daily choice to make peace with others by maybe not saying that one thing, maybe being more forgiving, and maybe letting go of things more easily than we hold onto them. Everyday we have a choice.
And I truly believe that no matter how hard the choice to keep the peace is at times, we will be blessed when we make it.
God bless Cibola, and let our community be full of peacemakers!