Give peace a chance

The story goes that a general came to the leader of a country and said, “We have won the war!” The leader looked at the general very thoughtfully and, after a long sigh, replied, “Yes but we lost the peace.” For those of us who have experienced war, I can tell you war is one of humanity’s greatest disasters. One Argentine songwriter, referring to the civil war that took place in Argentina in the 1970s, refers to war as “a big monster who mightily steps on the poor innocence of the people.”  Considering this, the word “peace” has a much greater meaning, it is a word that inspires, it is a word that gives you hope because if you have seen war, the yearning for peace is much greater. I find it very ironic that the word shalom (peace in Hebrew) is one the most heard words in Israel as it also means “hello” and “goodbye” and yet, if there is something missing in the Middle East, that is peace.

I mention this because Pastor Ken delivered a sermon on the final part of 1 Thessalonians last Sunday. As he concludes this letter in chapter 5, Paul provides guidance to the congregation in verses 12 through 19. The first piece of advice he offers emphasizes the importance of serving and respecting those in leadership positions. He urges the church to show its leaders significant respect and sincere love due to their diligent work. Paul then adds a directive that may appear unrelated: “And live peacefully with each other.”

Why would he write this?  The inclusion of this seemingly unrelated advice seems out of character with Paul, who is the master of smooth transitions as he writes his letters.  Well, for those of us who have been in leadership, it is easy to understand what we have been through in ministry.  I have even heard leaders and pastors say, “ministry would be great if it wasn’t for the people!”  However, ministry is about people! And people are people, with their problems, their sin (which leaders also experience), their misunderstandings and sometimes, unfortunately, their bad intentions. I believe Paul is on to something, something he has already experienced.

There is an ongoing spiritual struggle out there. The adversary seeks to disrupt the lives of the people who have committed to following Jesus, particularly those in leadership roles such as pastors. As a congregation, it is important to resist these attacks. It is just tragic when some members, whether intentionally or unintentionally, bring conflict into the family. By creating situations that generate discord and strife, people not only jeopardize the unity of a community of faith, but also impose additional burdens on pastors, who should be focused on more significant responsibilities rather than managing conflicts. Introducing disputes into the church fails to demonstrate respect and wholehearted support for those who, as Paul says, “work hard among you and give you spiritual guidance.”

So, let’s heed Paul’s advice and live peacefully with each other.  There is enough trouble in the world, enough people out there in conflict and enough strife that keep people away from enjoying shalom. As Paul says in verse 23, our God is the God of peace, the one who can make us holy in every way.  Peace out!