Culture wars (IX) Blessed are the peace makers

There is a real sense in which the culture wars remind me of a marriage on the rocks,  with anger, accusations, hate, fear, everybody talking (shouting) and nobody listening. And when the breakup turns bitter, a lot of innocents get caught in the crossfire. In particular the one parent will likely vilify the other, unconsciously or consciously pressuring the kids to take sides. If you know there might be a custody battle, you really need to make sure the kids would want to choose you, and the battle for the hearts and minds of the kids can be intense. And of course each side will want to dismiss what the other sides is saying as propaganda or outright lies. Occasionally, but far too infrequently, one of the children is old enough and mature enough to act as a mediator saying something along the lines of “We love you both, and this is tearing us apart!”


From where I stand, this seems to me to be a quite accurate picture of what is happening in the culture wars. And I write because I believe that there are those who are wise enough and mature enough on both sides  of the polarization, to pour oil on the troubles waters,  seeking  to bring some balance, some middle ground in order that at least some of the problems might be solved. But it’s difficult because, also as in a marriage, there are those who are convinced the other side is totally evil, and that the best way to proceed is to work towards their annihilation. So the questions I am asking this morning, are if there are mediators out there, and if there are those who are willing to listen? There is a proverb that says that the one who speaks first seems to be right , until his neighbour comes and examines him. But if his neighbour, for whatever reason, is not allowed to examine him, he will seem right to himself even when he is in gross error.


Into all of this  are two verses on my heart this morning. The first is “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God.”  The other the  “He who has ears to hear, let him hear” (Matthew 5:9; 11:15). Part of why we have been given ears so we can listen, not only to Him, but to each other. So how can we apply this to the culture wars? I want to suggest that we need to start at home. We need to come out of denial that we can do this without God's help. We need to listen, which in Biblical understanding includes obedience. Peacemakers then, first  need to have peace with God, then peace with ourself (engaging in ongoing recovery). We need as much as possible to live at peace with our significant other, with our family, and with our communities.  This is God’s agenda and it is intended to flow over into the transformation of cities, provinces, nations and the world. But it must start with me. If I don’t have peace with God and with myself, I will not be able to bring peace anywhere else.


Father, there have been times in seeking to be a peacemaker, that I have been “sat on” by both sides. And this is even now happening to Your peace makers in the culture wars. Please give us Your Grace Lord to go forward and not to give up. I know the rewards are great. In Jesus Name Amen