The Pursuit of Peace

I n whom or what have you placed your faith?

Many people have made the terrible mistake of placing their faith in a political party, a person or process or worse than all others, money. God has put faith and the capacity for faith inside the human soul. Our faith can be encouraged and grow in strength, faith can be misplaced, misused, even crushed. “Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1).

Every leader has faults, private, unknown struggles, and failures. If you have placed your faith in political, religious, or civic leaders, you have been disappointed and discouraged when they have let you down. I have let people down and am sure I will let people down again; I disappoint myself often. The thing about being human is that… well we are human – faulty, frail, and feeble.

Our nation is undergoing immense and deep changes.

In efforts to heal and help our nation recover, our leaders are applying topical treatments (money and benefits) to a sick soul. The topical applications for temporary sufferings does not reach the soul where the sickness is. The topical does not heal the heart. Gradually, the continual application of topical treatments creates a dependent person. What once was temporary help, becomes the normal and expected. This new normal creates dependency. Dependency leads to helplessness. Helplessness leads to a slow demise and the destruction of the individual and freedom.

Jesus said, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God” (Matthew 5:9). Neither political party are “peacemakers.” Both political parties are stirring strife, creating an illusion of accomplishment, and helping “the little guy” but in the end, their works create more dependency, confusion, and misinformation. Our nation needs “peacemakers.”

Are you a peacemaker?

What are the qualities of a peacemaker?

“So then we pursue the things which make for peace and the building up of one another” (Romans 14:19).

Make it a priority in your life to pursue peace.

“If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men” (Romans 12:18).

Live as if peace depends on you and do everything possible to live in peace with others.

“But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy” (James 3:17). Do your words and actions meet these expectations?

“Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show by his good behavior his deed in the gentleness of wisdom” (James 3:13). Before you vote with your ballot or dollar, ask yourself, does my choice meet these criteria?

Will your wisdom be proven by your decisions?

“Brethren, even if anyone is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; each one looking to yourself, so that you too will not be tempted” (Galatians 6:1).

To be “spiritual” is not to be perfect. No human is perfect.

“Spiritual” simply means one who is forgiven by God. A spiritual person understands his or her weaknesses, failures and shortcomings and offers grace, mercy, and forgiveness to someone else who has a failure. Have you ever had a failure?

America has pursued peace around the world, perhaps we need to spend time, energy and resources pursuing peace in our nation.

America has rebuilt the nations of those we once were at war with, perhaps we need to rebuild our nation.

America is still the beacon of light for freedom and as our Declaration of Independence states, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of happiness.”

The pursuit of peace is the “pursuit of happiness.” Are you pursuing peace with those in your life?

Clayton Adams has a message of faith he would like to share with the community. He would also like to hear from you. Email him at clayton padamslll@gmail.com.

Clayton Adams