Conflict & Peace
*This article is a guest written piece.
There is no denying that we live in a world marked by conflict.
Did you know that there are currently 4 major conflicts/wars that have resulted in 10,000 or more deaths per year for the last two years?
Consider that in 2017 the conflict in Syria resulted in over 39,000 deaths, the Mexican drug conflict resulted in nearly 15,000, the war in Afghanistan 14,000, and the war in Iraq over 13,000.
Then consider the rest of the world and places like Myanmar, the Philippines, Ethiopia, and Somalia plus 10 other countries where armed conflicts have resulted in casualties between 1,000 and 10,000 people in the last two years alone.
Let this fact sink in for a moment…there were 15,590 people killed by guns in the United States last year not including gun deaths by suicide.
What does all of this death lead to?
Thousands upon thousands of funerals. Mothers and fathers who weep uncontrollably, lives cut far too short, communities torn apart, neighbors turned into enemies, hearts hardened and lives imprisoned by fear.
Let’s face it: it is really hard at times to not get caught up into the narrative of fear.
It can be difficult for us to resist the world’s story that sows mistrust in others and encourages us to circle the wagons and live in a posture of defensiveness.
At times, we might even try to shut the rest of the world out and live in a pseudo-safe cocoon-like environment where we are surrounded by comfort and quarantined off from the problems of the “world”.
The Journey of Peace
Even though it was 11 years ago, there are many days when it feels like just yesterday: when getting dressed in the morning included putting on a full set of body armor strapped with loaded magazines and picking up my rifle for another day in the life of a soldier serving in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
There are many aspects from my life as a soldier that I miss everyday. The camaraderie with the men and women I served alongside. The shared sense of struggle and unique bonding that occurs when people face adversity together, and the feeling of exhaustion after a long day of work.
However, there are other aspects of my life as a soldier that I do not miss.
I do not miss carrying around a weapon of war to the bathroom and dining hall.
I do not miss living in a perpetual state of fear, wondering if the worst is about to happen to someone I love.
I do not miss looking at others with constant suspicion of their motives.
I do not miss the look on people’s faces after they have suffered unthinkable tragedies.
I do not miss the toxic culture surrounding combat that entices anger, bitterness, and hatred within the human heart.
I do not miss being separated, both physically and emotionally, from family and friends.
I do not miss war.
I do not understand a culture that glorifies the brutality of war.
Bravery, selfless service and sacrifice…these are worthy of our honor and respect. But the ugliness of war should never be glorified. I will never understand the culture of fascination that surrounds weapons of war and treats them like accessories to one’s life, for I know these are nothing more than tools of destruction that reflect the ugliest part of our humanity.
I refuse to worship war and all of its tools and instruments. I refuse because I have been called to follow the Prince of Peace.
It is for times such as these that we have been called.
As Christians, we need to be careful not to confuse the “absence of conflict” with peace. True peace for the Christian is not understood as being found in perfect harmony or serenity, but rather, peace is to be understood in a twofold manner. 1) As the very presence and being of God. 2) Peacemaking as a ministry of reconciliation.
PEACE FOUND IN THE PRESENCE OF GOD.
The biblical words for peace, shalom (Hebrew) and eirene(Greek), both convey the understanding that God is the very source of peace. It is God’s presence with us in the valley of the shadow of death that brings peace, not the green pastures or still waters.
Consider the words from the Apostle Paul:
“Not that I am referring to being in need; for I have learned to be content with whatever I have. I know what it is to have little, and I know what it is to have plenty. In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being well-fed and of going hungry, of having plenty and of being in need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.”Philippians 4:11-13
And the blessing of Aaron:
“The Lord bless you and keep you;
the Lord make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you;
the Lord lift up his countenance upon you, and give you peace.” Numbers 6:24-26
Galatians reminds us that peace is a fruit of God’s very Spirit:
“By contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against such things.” Galatians 5:22-23
God’s abiding hope and presence in our lives is the ultimate source of real peace.
Peacemaking As a Ministry of Reconciliation
The Christian life is one that is always being made new. The Holy Spirit is continually pursuing us and inviting us to live into God’s narrative of healing, forgiveness, and sense of wholeness (shalom).
The Letter of Paul To The Galatians reminds us that we have not only received a calling to “live like Jesus” or to “love like Jesus”, but that Jesus lives inside of us.
“And it is no longer I who live, but it is Christ who lives in me.”Galatians 2:20
The Christian life is not a matter of behaving like Christ, but of allowing Christ himself to live in and through us, and here’s the thing about Jesus: he is always inviting us to join him in the ministry of reconciliation and peacemaking.
“Therefore if anyone is in Christ, they are a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.” 2 Corinthians 5:17-19
“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God.” Matthew 5:9
The church embodies the very peace of God when we embrace our foundational purpose of bearing witness to the resurrection of Christ that leads us to seek peace in all areas of our society and around the world.
Living in the 21st century world we will certainly still hear the voices of fear, discord, and division that are ever present in our lives, but they cannot motivate us, because we are followers of Jesus.
As citizens of the global world, we will be tempted to choose “sides”, fan the flames of tribalism, and circle the wagons, but we must resist because we are agents of reconciliation.
As individuals, we will be tempted to build our own kingdoms and serve our own interests, but we must seek first the kingdom of God because we are servants of all.
When we choose peace over conflict we model the very essence of Christ to a hurting and broken world.
Rev. Lorne Hlad
Lorne served in Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2006-2007, and currently serves as pastor to Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in Loveland, OH