Jesus called peacemakers “blessed.” He said they would be called “children of God” (Matt. 5:9). But He never said peacemakers would be popular.
A study released by Pew Research Center on Feb. 23 provided another illustration of how unpopular it can be to work for reconciliation and how popular it can be to take verbal shots at those with whom one differs.
The study was on the Facebook postings of every member of the 114th Congress. The time frame examined was from Jan. 4, 2015, to April 30, 2016. More than 100,000 postings were analyzed for content and evaluated by response. For every 100 likes received by a Facebook post a point was given.
The results were clear. The more disagreement with the opposing party a post displayed the higher the rating. The more bipartisan the post, the less it was liked.
The pattern was consistent across the ideological spectrum. For example Republican posts against “Obamacare,” former President Barack Obama’s health care law, got nearly 27 points as did Democratic posts regarding approving a Supreme Court nominee following the death of Justice Antonin Scalia.
Likewise posts about senators’ cooperation to pass a bipartisan energy bill received an 8.6 rating. A post about an anti-genocide resolution passed unanimously by the House of Representatives received a 7.7 rating.
To see in the study the reactions of Americans to strong words, strong opinions and strong disagreement with the opposition was disappointing. Evidently statements that reflected one’s own positions drew hardy endorsements.
It was disheartening to see how little support was given to efforts by both Republicans and Democrats to work together for the good of the nation. It seemed there was little interest in working across political divides to solve national problems. Winning appeared to be the most important value.
Perhaps the pattern should not have been a surprise. There used to be a standing joke that a speaker could get more “amens” from a congregation by preaching against certain sins than he could ever get when sharing about “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control” — the elements of the fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22).
Types of preaching
It seems we Baptists sometimes like preaching that condemns things we are against more than affirms the directions our lives should be lived.
And who has not seen the results of church members falling into disagreement with one another? The Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions offers resources for churches in conflict. Associational directors of missions often attempt to mediate these disagreements. Unfortunately most of the time the lines are too firmly drawn by the time a church reaches out for help.
The result is like trying to break up a fight between two friends. The one trying to stop the fight gets hit from both sides.
Baptists have never been good about reconciling differences. Instead church splits have been a major reason for the high number of church starts among us.
Yet Jesus said, “Blessed are the peacemakers for they will be called children of God.” If Jesus holds peacemakers in such high regard imagine what He must think about those who foment disagreement by their words and actions.
According to Jesus’ own saying, the phrase “children of God” should equal “peacemaker.” That is true in the Church and in the world. Our God is a God of Peace (1 Cor. 14:33). Jesus is the Prince of Peace (Isa. 9:6). The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Peace (Gal. 5:22). At Jesus’ birth, the angels proclaimed “peace on earth” (Luke 2:14). There is no question that God is on the side of peace.
A peacemaker works to preserve peace before it is broken. That means being alert to things that threaten peace such as sinful actions and sinful positions. It means taking initiatives before disagreements become critical.
A peacemaker works to recover peace that is broken. That may mean listening to proposals for peace offered by others as well as presenting one’s own proposals for peace and working together for the goal of peace.
Repairing peace is a hard, often thankless, task. It necessitates clear thinking, critical reasoning and careful communication. In the midst of disagreements when emotions are high, all three can be in short supply.
Consider for example that Baptists are known for their advocacy of religious liberty. Many scholars call it Baptists’ greatest contribution to religious thought. Today Baptists are working to ensure that religious liberty applies to Christians in the public square so believers cannot be forced by government to engage in conduct which violates their strongly held religious convictions.
At the same time some Baptists are angry with fellow believers for saying in a public forum that Muslims have the same religious liberty rights in this nation as Baptists and other Christians.
Historically Baptists contended that religious liberty was a gift from God for all. Yet in the midst of high tension one might be tempted to forget that early Baptists wrote, “Let them be heretics, Turks, Jews or whatsoever, it appertains not to the earthly power to punish them in the least measure.”
When tensions are high and disagreements abound, one may be tempted to act as if religious liberty is for “me and mine” but not for those with whom we differ.
Still, Jesus said, “Blessed are the peacemakers for they will be called children of God.” Blessed are the peacemakers in the Church, in the Congress and in the world.
Peacemaking may never be popular but it is always of God.
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