The US State Department is tasked with our national diplomacy. It’s the art and practice of building and maintaining relationships, and conducting negotiations using tact and respect. Some of the key skills of a diplomat include composure, collaboration, awareness, advocacy and management. In fact, a diplomat in many ways sounds like typical leader. Before and after any war that our country has fought is a season of diplomacy. People meet to discuss the issues on which nations disagree. The hope is to reach a solution that doesn’t involve dropping bombs, killing people or seizing territory.
You might think negotiations—on issues of war, commerce and other matters—are rare. In fact, the US enters into more than 200 treaties and international agreements each year, on average.[1] Conflict is everywhere, all the time. To actively practice diplomacy, consider emulating a character of Jesus in your leadership—that of being a peacemaker. Jesus Himself was called the “Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6). This prophecy is speaking of spiritual peace—the eternal peace that comes from a relationship with Christ. A person who has spiritual peace leads from a personal foundation of a heart at peace with God. Spiritual peace puts a leader in a position to be able to foster and perhaps broker piece in their relationships with others, and lead them toward peace with God.
Scripture tells us “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the sons of God” (Matthew 5:9). A peacemaker is one who helps reconcile parties who disagree. Spiritually a peacemaker is one who leads others to reconcile with God and with one another. God puts great value in peacemakers, calling them “blessed”. We might be more familiar with peacekeeping. This is the role of the military, or a parent. They act with authority to keep fights from happening, or quelling them when they rise up. Peacemaking, however, is the role of a leader who acts to solve the underlying problem once and for all.
A peacemaker acts toward harmony. It’s important to know that peacemaking is not passive. It requires action to foster harmony between parties. God Himself chose to reconcile Himself by sending Jesus Christ, His Son, to sacrifice Himself for our sins (Colossians 1:20, John 3:16). The Bible casts this responsibility toward Christ-followers in saying that we should “make every effort to live at peace” with our fellow man (Hebrews 12:14). When we put others’ interests before our own, when we honor and respect others even though we disagree with them, when we share our means with those in need, when we have empathy for those who grieve, and when we return our good efforts for the evil that may be done to us, we are acting as peacemakers. Those are tough, thoughtful actions, reminding us that peacemaking is a sacred and tough instruction.
A peacemaker builds bridges. We are separated from God because of our sins. God then built a bridge for us back to Himself through Jesus and His sacrifice on the cross. Our function now in a spiritual and personal sense is to build bridges as well. God calls us to be “ambassadors” for Christ and to participate in the “ministry of reconciliation” (2 Corinthians 5:18-20). This means sharing our faith with others and it means building the bridges necessary to make spiritual and personal reconciliation possible. A peacemaker forgives whenever possible so that ongoing issues do not impede a relationship. A peacemaker consistently looks for ways to connect and reconnect with people, and to help them connect to one another. A peacemaker reasons with his neighbors, calls out those who are in persistent sin, and discourages revenge, anger and harm between people (Leviticus 19:17 1 Timothy 5:20, 1 Thessalonians 5:14-15).
The Peace of Paris, negotiated at the close of the Revolutionary War, recognized the United States as an independent country and delineated its borders for the first time.
A peacemaker keeps trying despite setbacks. Not every attempt at peacemaking will be successful. We can only promote peace “as far as it depends on you” (Romans 12:18). A peacemaker cannot expect everyone to forgive, build bridges, accept advice or act in a Christ-honoring way. But he does not give up. Scripture tells us to “Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord” (Hebrews 12:14). To strive is a continuous and pronounced effort at peace. Striving is a struggle. Christ Himself struggled for our spiritual peace all the way to His own death on the cross. The cross looked like a spiritual setback, but in fact it was the key element to spiritual peace being achieved.
A peacemaker is a man of prayer. A peacemaker is a person of prayer and is continually praying for peace in every situation. Philippians 4:6-7 reminds us, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” The answer in every anxious and conflicting situation is prayer. Prayer, as Scripture tells us, leads to peace. The peace of God can also lead to peace between men.
The American war of independence (1775-1783) was actually a worldwide conflict. It involved the future United States and Great Britain, but also France, Spain and the Netherlands. The war ended with the signing of the Treaty of Paris in 1783. The Americans sent their top three peacemakers—John Adams, Benjamin Franklin and John Jay—to negotiate. The talks began in May of 1782 and continued throughout the summer and were difficult in terms of finding agreement between the countries. Eventually though, a compromise was negotiated. The treaty first declares the intention of both parties to “forget all past misunderstandings and differences” and “secure to both perpetual peace and harmony.” Most remember the hard-fought Revolutionary War, but do not recall that the peace, too, was hard-fought and took many months to bring about.
Benjamin Franklin was among those who signed the Peace of Paris treaty, ending the Revolutionary War. Franklin actually served as America’s chief negotiator and diplomat in France for more than a decade.
Benjamin Franklin wrote in comment during the negotiations, “We have taken some good steps here towards a peace. Our independence is acknowledged, our boundaries as good and extensive as we demanded, and our fishery more so than the Congress expected. I hope the whole preliminaries will be approved and with the definitive treaty, when made, give entire satisfaction to our country. But there are so many interests to be considered between five nations and so many claims to adjust, that I can hardly flatter myself to see the peace soon concluded, though I wish and pray for it and use my best endeavors to promote it.” Franklin, who grew up a Puritan, indeed was a man of prayer, saying, “I have lived, sir, a long time; and the longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this truth, that God governs in the affairs of men!”
May we too follow in the footsteps of these founding fathers, to be men of peace and peacemakers in our families, marriages and workplaces. Experience shows us that it is far more difficult to fight for peace than to simply fight. In our perseverance, our prayer and our acts of harmony we may find our greatest impact and influence in leading men toward peace with God and peace with one another.
[1] https://www.state.gov/policy-issues/treaties-and-international-agreements/
Charlie Renfroe