Keep the Peace

 

It’s a nice slogan, isn’t it? But it comes with questions: Who should keep the peace? How often? With whom? Let’s face it. . . there are no simple answers.  

I still remember a poem written by a little girl in my first-grade class years ago. It said: The sky is blue, the grass is green, and all the people, are different.              

That difference in people, plus a never-ending variety of situations, is what makes peace so elusive.

Some people are perpetual porcupines. You can’t be near them without getting pricked. I generally get along with people, and I’ve met all kinds. But years ago, I met a man who enjoyed being prickly to the point of exhaustion.

He always seemed on edge, coming up with negative views, and pushing back if you tried to remain positive. I finally gave myself permission to avoid him. It was my final solution, not perfect, but it worked most of the time.

It may be that peace with others comes after making peace with yourself.

I love the analogy of Jesus’ teaching on this subject. He compared criticizing others to looking at a small speck in someone else's eye while ignoring the log in our own (Matthew 7:1-5 NLT). 

The basic concept is beware! You will be judged by the standard you use to judge others.

We are to deal with ourselves first. After clearing out our problem log, we might have a clearer (less critical) view of that speck of wood in the eyes of others.

Another way to keep the peace is to avoid sharing your initial reaction. Unfortunately, life is not like Wheel of Fortune or Jeopardy where your first response may win you a prize.

In real life, our first response, whether spoken or written, sometimes shuts people down. The result may be regret, with no option for overs at the moment.

Like the little girl said, “All the people are different.” That includes you!

Try to keep the peace for your own sake. Regardless of the outcome, knowing you tried is what really counts.