Elevate: A Conversation About Violence and PeaceSample

It’s hard to have peace when someone or something is making your life less than peaceful. If you’re being bullied, or that one teacher is picking on you again, the easiest thing to do is to show your frustration and clap back. The real question is, how does this reaction impact your peace? In Matthew 5:43-44, Jesus tells us that instead of hating our enemies, we should love our enemies and pray for the people who hurt us. This verse comes from the most iconic sermon EVER, the Sermon on the Mount, which contains some of Jesus’ most famous teachings.

Earlier in this sermon, Jesus says that those who are peacemakers will be blessed. Jesus is giving us another way to handle our haters that is different from what culture says. What if peace and love are connected? What if loving our enemies is a way that we can create peace? Love and kindness deescalate, while more hate only brings more chaos. Peace isn’t a magical thing that just happens to us. Peace is a choice. When we choose to love those who hurt us, we're choosing to make peace. This decision to respond like Jesus can have a greater impact than a clapback ever could.

So, before you use that clever comeback you’ve been saving up, take a moment to pray for the person who’s persecuting you. Ask God to bring them peace and to help you show your enemy love the way Jesus loves us.