Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God (Matthew 5:9).
I’ve been watching the Olympics a lot the past couple of weeks. I’ve witnessed the triumph of Michael Phelps and the heartbreak of Alicia Sacramone. I’ve discovered the thrill of beach volleyball and the exquisite timing of synchronized diving. I’ve read about the intrigues, the temper tantrums, the close calls, and the potential scandals. Come to think of it, it’s a lot like watching a soap opera.
I’ve heard that the purpose of the Olympics is to promote international relations and peace. I’m confused. Exactly how does pitting one nation’s athletes against another nation’s athletes promote cooperation? I find myself hoping that the Chinese gymnast will slip off the bars or stumble in the floor exercise. I wait with bated breath hoping that the Australian divers will not enter the water at the same time. And if I, a mere spectator, am doing this, I imagine the athletes themselves are, too.
So I’ve got an idea for a new kind of Olympics. Let’s take an American, a Chinese, a Russian, a Latvian, a Briton, and whoever else we can round up and put them on a team together. Then they can compete against a team with another American, another Chinese, another…you get the point. I’m not against competition; I enjoy watching the action. I just wish that there weren’t so much nationalism involved. Maybe if we could learn to play basketball together, we could also learn to live together.
Jesus said, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God,” and yet there is so little emphasis on peacemaking in our world. We look at all the major conflicts going on around the world and we get the feeling that nothing we can do could ever make a difference. The words of a well-known hymn ought to give us pause: “Let there be peace on earth, and let it begin with me.” What can you do to promote peace in your family, your community, your church, your workplace? How can you make a difference in your daily life by a mere change of attitude?
We need to let go of the prejudices and the stereotypes that separate humans into us vs. them. We need to let go of the very un-Christ-like idea that my rights are more important than the other guy’s rights. We need to let go of the egotistical pride that says America can do no wrong and that we are the best place on earth. God created the world as a whole; it took us silly humans to divide it up into political and geographical sub-worlds.
Peace—it’s not just a slogan; it is the true gold standard by which we should measure everything we say and do. Be a peacemaker—go for the gold.
