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Are you a peacemaker or a peacekeeper? A peacemaker is one who strives to make peace in situations that are in turmoilA peacekeeper, on the other hand, often just tries to keep the status quo and do anything to avoid conflictIn the Beatitudes, Jesus calls us to be peacemakers; therefore, that is what we should strive to be. 

Parents know that making peace between children is a part of our job descriptionFrom their earliest days, our children manage to disrupt the peace—get into arguments, cause discord, aggravate each otherAnd we find ourselves in the role of peacemakerSometimes that role is a stern role, sometimes it is a role of negotiating, sometimes we have to separate the parties involvedIn other words, being a peacemaker is not always a peaceful jobWe may have to be assertive and proactive, but whatever we can do to promote peace, that is our calling as children of God. 

I’m sure many of you work in situations where a peacemaker is neededSome of the things that typically cause discord in the workplace are gossip, job insecurity, out-of-control ambition, poor communication—and the list goes onIt could be a company-wide morale problem, producing tumult and disharmony among employees; or it could be little feuds between individuals, where one refuses to speak to anotherI’m often amazed at how petty and vindictive adults can be—but there you have it. 

What can we do in these kinds of environments to be peacemakersIt’s not enough just to keep pushing it under the covers, so to speak, and trying to keep a lid on thingsThat is peacekeeping, just opting for peace at any priceBut we want to be peacemakers.