Protests in Minneapolis (Photo by Josh Hild on Unsplash)

By Tom Shanklin

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the sons of God.” (Matthew 5:9, MEV)

We are called to be peacemakers. That is what is needed in the world today. We need to decide if we are going to be a part of the solution or part of the problem. When we see someone pressing their knee upon another human being until their life is snuffed out, what should be our reaction? Anger? Disgust? Outrage? Yes, all of that. When we see people taking advantage of a horrible tragedy to fill their cars with big-screen TVs and to burn down buildings, what should be our reaction. Anger? Disgust? Outrage? Yes. But what do we do with that outrage? How do we react?

We have seen some peacemakers in action in the midst of the turmoil in our cities. After rioting and looting in Minneapolis, some voluntarily went out with brooms and dustpans to clean up the mess. Some of them were also protesting the killing of George Floyd, but they wanted to teach their children the right way to react in such a situation. Rather than fighting fire with fire, they manifested the opposite spirit. They were working to heal, not destroy. They were being peacemakers.

We were watching live television news when a huge semi-truck went barreling down the highway towards protesters in Minneapolis. When the driver stopped, protesters pulled him from the truck and began to beat him. Others intervened and protected him until the police could arrest him. As CBS affiliate WCCO reported on their website: “In several videos of the incident, protesters can be heard and seen trying to stop the attack, and several laid on him to protect him.” Blessed are the peacemakers!

The raw video of the killing of George Floyd has not only opened a deep wound among the African-American people in our nation but has also struck a nerve in the hearts of all of us. The brutality of this event has driven people of all races into the streets to express their rage and to call for change. Many are wondering what to do and how to react. Anger is a normal reaction, but we cannot live in anger and bitterness. Jesus showed anger at times, and justly so. But He did not live in anger. He continued to love … even to the end.

Anger is a normal reaction, but we cannot live in anger and bitterness. Jesus showed anger at times, and justly so. But He did not live in anger. He continued to love … even to the end.

How are we to react as our world is coming apart at the seams? How are we to live? With anger? With mistrust? With fear? I believe that God is calling us up to a higher place where we can actually do something constructive about the hatred and bigotry that are in society. He is calling us to be different. Not just different politics, nor a different statement of faith, but a different lifestyle. The lifestyle of Christ. The lifestyle of love.

I’m not talking about a sappy syrupy love, nor the fleshly excesses that the world calls love, I’m talking about the love of God, a merciful compassionate kind of love that puts its emphasis on others, rather than oneself.

God’s love is the only kind of love that can heal our broken world. It’s the kind of love that believers in Christ are able to produce because it’s part of our spiritual DNA. The Scriptures tell us that “the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.” (Romans 5:5, MEV) When you have been born of God, God’s love is in you. It’s that love that will change the world, not fleshly reactions. We need to change so that the world will change. We need to walk in God’s supernatural love so that the world can experience His love.

I am reminded of the story of David Wilkerson, who was led by God to take the Gospel to New York City. Nicki Cruz, one of the most feared gang leaders, threatened Wilkerson, “If you come near me, I’ll kill you.” Wilkerson replied, “Yeah, you could do that. You could cut me up into a thousand pieces and lay them in the street, and every piece will still love you.” As a result of Wilkerson’s persistence and sacrificial love, Cruz later came to the Lord.

What should be our actions and attitudes towards those who oppose us? To those who have different ideas? Different cultural norms? To those who seem to be tearing apart everything that we believe in? “Jesus said, “You have heard that it was said, ”˜You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.” (Matthew 5:43-45, MEV)

Love your enemies. Bless those who curse you. Do good to that hate you. Pray for those who persecute you. Wow! Is this the way you and I are living? Are we following Jesus’ teaching? This IS the way children of God are supposed to act. This is normal Christianity. Jesus said that people would know we are Jesus’ disciples because we love one another. Love is the distinguishing characteristic of a disciple. Not big churches or prophetic gifts or signs and wonders. Love. The big question is: do we love?

I am convinced that the thing that God is looking for more than anything from His people is love. Out of His love for humanity, the Father sent Jesus. Out of His love for people, Jesus came and laid down His life. Now, He calls us to continue in that love.

Voices from all sides are stoking the fires of hatred and division today. As Christians, we cannot afford to listen to these voices and partake of the venom behind those words. We are called to be different, to be separate, to be a people of love, to be peacemakers.

Voices from all sides are stoking the fires of hatred and division today. As Christians, we cannot afford to listen to these voices and partake of the venom behind those words. We are called to be different, to be separate, to be a people of love, to be peacemakers. Many people in the church have become so consumed with contentious debates that they have lost their first love. Politics, for some, has become more important than evangelism, and that is a very sad thing. We need to return to the Lord and ask Him to restore our first love for those who we disagree with.

If our nation is ever to be healed, we must be healers, not haters. We must realize that every human being is valuable. We must start listening to one another, instead of dividing into camps and throwing firebombs. I’m not talking about compromising our values, I am talking about truly living by them. As Christians, we should be leading the way to healing and reconciliation, not making things worse. We need to stop listening to voices of hatred and division and start following the Holy Spirit.

By yielding to God’s supernatural love, we can be peacemakers. We can bring people to peace with God and with one another. We are ambassadors of Christ, calling people to be reconciled to God. We do this through the words which we speak, and the life that we live. If our life does not agree with our words, our words will fall to the ground.

God’s love in you is the hope for this troubled and hostile world. Let it flow! Be a peacemaker! It’s normal Christianity!