We live in a world filled with conflict. Every day, regardless of what is reported in the news, there are wars raging, injustices happening and people fighting. Then on occasion one of these conflicts bubbles to the surface, or takes on national or international significance. In this case we’re not talking about the United States at war, but rather other nations or groups that we largely observe, fighting across the sea. Sometimes we are just thankful that these crises are a world away, and albeit but for a few distant connections—a relative of a friend whose name we barely know—they don’t really touch us. But as leaders, should we respond or act in some way, and if so, how?
A soldier prepared to fight in a field in the Ukraine. What started the conflict, and what is the desired outcome?
Pray. We often look at prayer as a “last resort”, the one thing we can all do as we watch conflict unfold on our video screens from afar. “If nothing else, we can pray.” But God reminds us that prayer is among the most powerful of forces we wield as His children. James 4:1-2 says, “What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask.” Scripture confirms that asking God to meet our needs and the needs of our neighbors is our best response to conflict.
Crises present opportunities for leaders to lead-out in prayer. 1 Timothy 2:1-2 says, “First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way.” We can, and should, pray for peace. And we should be confident that God will and often does answer this prayer.
Aid. International crises inevitably involve many innocent lives. We have all seen a war-torn image of a doll or child’s bicycle or other toys laying in the midst of rubble. They are reminders to us of the human cost of conflict. Though they don’t solve the conflicts, relief organizations do what most of us cannot by directly delivering food, water, medical care and other humanitarian aid. Whatever the conflict, Scripture reminds us to “Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality” (Romans 12:13).
War-torn images like this one, taken in Gaza, remind us of the human toll of war and conflict. Helping the innocent victims of war is one way we can show and share our faith during conflict.
Caring for those in need, and helping those in crisis, is among the most tangible ways we can demonstrate our faith during international conflict. A leader takes an active interest in the health and well-being of others, whether on the other side the table or the other side of the world. Consider partnering with a relief organization that is involved in the conflict at hand where you and your organization can have a role in helping. This has the added benefit of keeping the focus of your response on the people versus the politics.
Understand. Consider the last century and thumb through the list of conflicts. World Wars I and II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Afghan War, the Gulf War, the War on Terror… Do you know what caused these conflicts? Each one resulted in many authors’ recollections and newspaper editorial pages detailing the people and activities leading up to the battlefield. In every war there is right and wrong, good and evil, life and death. Sometimes a conflict ends on a final note—like the Japanese surrender signed aboard the USS Missouri ending the Pacific theater of World War II. Other times the conflict fades over time—like the Soviet withdrawal from Afghanistan after a decade-long standoff. Whether reading about these in a history book or watching it more presently on a video screen, as leaders observing others, a key question we must ask is, “What can we learn from this?”
The Japanese agree to unconditional surrender on the deck of the USS Missouri, ending the Pacific conflict in World War II.
These conflicts hold lessons that leaders can apply to their own circumstance and organization. Issues of relationships, communication, goals and objectives, moral authority, monetary gain, history, safety, and entitlement, are all present in international crises. Matthew 5:9 reminds us, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.” A peacemaker is one who helps to reconcile adversaries. This is a special leadership role, because it takes a person who understands both sides of the conflict, so that they can act as a mediator and arbitrator.
As the next crisis unfolds, and it certainly will, a leader’s first inclination may be to choose a side and make their personal or political opinion known. But if we instead pray, aid and understand, we can help to foster an environment where any crisis is an opportunity to serve and help others, foster communication that helps lead to conflict resolution, and ask God to work through His people to accomplish His purposes, regardless of the outcome.