Peace Catalysts by Rick Love

Author:Rick Love
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: InterVarsity Press
Published: 2014-04-29T00:00:00+00:00

In summary, mediators help alienated people and communities mend broken relationships.

To be effective, mediators need to be trusted. In formal mediation, a lot of attention is given to the importance of being neutral. In ­everyday mediation, we can’t always be neutral or be perceived as neutral. But as followers of Christ, we can walk in wisdom, and when we model wisdom, people trust us. Then we have more opportunities to mediate.

Let’s turn again to James for insight. He described divine wisdom as follows: “But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness” (James 3:17-18). He saw these character traits lived out in Jesus and calls us to model them.

Let me point out a few things about divine wisdom as it relates to mediation and repeat a few things I said earlier. First, note that James’s list of traits describing wisdom begins and ends with the words pure and sincere (sincere literally means “without hypocrisy”). Together the two terms speak of integrity. Second, wisdom reflects beauty of character: peace-loving, considerate, full of mercy and good fruit. Third, wisdom reflects judicious thought. It is “submissive,” which means it is open to reason and willing to yield. It is also “impartial” in its evaluation of people and issues. It sticks to the facts and seeks objectivity. Fourth, wisdom sows in peace, which means that mediators stay calm and speak without bludgeoning people.

Blessed are the mediators, for they are imitators of Jesus.

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