Power Up Your SPIRIT
“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.”
Matthew 5:9 NKJV
For most of my life, I have been a mediator, calming the storm between parties. Sometimes, I did a good job at it.
Other times, I didn’t do so well. But it’s not an easy task.
Peacemaking is different from peacekeeping.
To keep the peace is to ensure and maintain an equilibrium so that storms don’t arise.
To make peace means there is first a storm that must be out of the picture before peace is born. That’s a challenging task.
But it is the task we’ve been called to do.
The good thing is we have the Prince of Peace within us, to show us how he did it when he caused peace in Mark 4:39.
When we do not know how to solve a raging problem in our lives, let’s learn to run to the one who can.
Hack Your BODY
How can we be peacemakers at work?
First, understand that you can’t solve every problem.
Secondly, position and authority are important in making peace.
Being the leader in the middle made it possible for me to effect change when it was needed.
Sometimes, I had to make peace between the head of the organisation and the teams.
And to do that, there is a three-step process to follow.
This was the same process Jesus used to make peace on the boat. I know this may not be the best example for peacemaking, but it holds core concepts that can be applied anywhere else.
1. Rebuke the force behind the problem
As spiritual beings, we understand that nothing happens by accident. I was on a trip one day and our bus driver started a crazy road rage with another driver.
Everyone on the bus started to insult those on the next bus.
I sat calmly, closed my eyes, and rebuked the spirit responsible for the sudden rage.
In an instant, everywhere was calm. The buses went their separate ways, and everyone on my bus stopped talking.
Most times, we attack those involved in the problem. Attack the negative force responsible for it first.
2. Calm the environment
Every relationship exists in an environment, and something from that environment has “spilled” into the relationship.
The environment only becomes turbulent when a force acts on it.
As a peacemaker, you calm people down, helping them let go of their judgement, perceptions, and differences.
Your work here will already be 50% done after rebuking the force.
You can’t talk sense into people in a heated environment. Create a new opportunity to address the issue.
3. Speak to the people
This comes last because the environment is more conducive.
Address the problem without pointing fingers. My wife and I have a “no blame game” rule where we must never point fingers, blaming one person for the problem.
It’s the same for any other scenario.
Identify the original issue and resolve it.
Grow Your SOUL
“A stressful event or issue I’m having in my relationships with a loved one/colleague is…and some ways that I could handle this issue include…”
(source: GrowthDay)
You can be the peacemaker even when you are involved in the problem. How? Higher knowledge of conflict resolution helps you be the first to think objectively.
If you need to make peace, or you know someone who does, take down some notes today and act on them.
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