Shalom

 Shalom

If we reduce it to one English word, we would typically use "peace." And because we inherently tend to reduce things to their most simplistic form, we may be prone to believe that peace is simply the absence of conflict. 

The word shalom goes much deeper. Deeper than most of us are comfortable with. It encompasses taking what is broken and restoring it to wholeness. Taking many complicated, moving parts and putting them together as they're meant to be. Complete. As originally intended. 

It is not simply ceasing to be at war or to simply "lay down arms." It is not even an absence of disagreement. It is not saying, "I'm sorry," or even asking for forgiveness, though those things are important. It is more. It is deeper. It is taking action steps to restore what is broken to wholeness.

Jesus has called us to be peacemakers. With a deeper understanding of shalom, this is much more than a peacekeeper (which seems to be the more popular understanding of what we should be doing as Christ followers). We are not called to silence disagreement. Again, peace is not simply the absence of conflict. We are called to do the hard work of restoring what is broken to it's originally intended purpose. To wholeness.

This work of peacemaking takes listening. Learning about all those complicated, individual, moving parts and how they work together. It takes understanding what is broken and how it got that way. It takes compassion and empathy. It takes a willingness to be wrong, to be unsettled. This work cannot be done without being teachable, without discomfort, without hard conversations, without repentance, followed by restorative action.

Attempts to silence those who have been harmed by the brokenness we live in, (and that our very brokenness has created), is peace*keeping*. It can feel better, because if we are successful (and clearly we often are), it appears no one is complaining (when in truth, they've likely either just left the metaphorical building, or never entered it in the first place because it is not a safe place for them). It *appears* to be peace, but it is actually oppression. We do this on a myriad of ways. Hiding. Ignoring. Manipulating truth. Legislating. Shaming. Blaming. Name-calling. The list of tools in our peace*keeping* toolbox appears endless. 

Jesus-followers, peace*keeping* is not our calling. I could name specific instances we are prone to this, but I am forcing myself to refrain from that. I do not want this to become either a "yeah, but" or a way to excuse ourselves because we've never actively participated in "that" - we do it in a myriad of circumstances. I would challenge you (me,...us) to begin to look with new eyes. Are we peacekeeping or peacemaking?

"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God." (Matthew 5:9)

(Side note: Most of my word study related to this has come from The Bible Project. You can find them online and they are fabulous.)