Make peace

We fight who we hate. We hate who we fear. We fear who we don’t understand. We don’t understand who we don’t know. We don’t know who we turn away from. And, often times we turn away from anyone or anything that is different than us. Those who look different, speak a different language, practice a different religion, live by a different worldview or set of moral standards. We are quick to label someone based on certain traits or practices that allow us to dehumanize them in our minds, and see them simply as a ______________ (fill in the blank). Perhaps you have been guilty of this like I am. I think we all live with some forms of implicit bias that shape our perspective of people and society. Are there specific groups of people that bring a negative mental picture or bad feelings just thinking about them? As much as I hate to admit it, and hate even more that it’s true, for me the answer is yes.

Where do these biases or negative feelings derive from? Are we born with them? Do we learn from our parents, teachers, friends, or systemic traditions? Does life shape our perspective through our own anecdotal experiences, through pleasure and pain teaching us to expect good from one or bad from another based on some arbitrary standard? I don’t feel qualified or confident to say exactly where these come from, as this has been debated for centuries by people much smarter than I. Or is it “much smarter than me“? (One of my daughters got her Masters degree in English. I’m sure she can tell me which is correct). Anyway, regardless of the cause of these implicit biases that live within the dark corners of our hearts and minds, there is a commonality in how they manifest in our lives. It’s the opposite of love. Not necessarily in outright hatred, spewing evil and slander toward someone or physically attacking (although these things do happen far too often). It’s a bit more subtle, subversive, and I would argue actually more sinister and self-destructive as well.

This is the root of war, the “anti-peace”. When we begin to view people as anything less than a heavenly inspired, divinely created being made in the image of God, we miss the miracle of our diverse humanity. Wow, that was a messy sentence. Maybe my daughter will correct that, too. The fact is, however, that we are all a reflection of the good attributes of God. Love, kindness, generosity, patience, virtue, acceptance, joy, justice…..and the list goes on and on. We find these characteristics of God in the people that he created in his image. So all those people that you or I turn away from are missed opportunities to experience the hidden traits of God that he has tucked away in the heart of every human being. Are they perfect? No, not by a long shot. Neither are you. I know I sure as hell am not even close! But that’s the beauty of God’s love for us. It’s not based on our perfection at all, and our love for each other shouldn’t be either.

Hacer la paz. Make peace. Each of us has the opportunity to make peace in our own lives. It won’t just happen naturally, but requires intentionality and effort. What you post on your social media has the power to make peace or make war. How you treat the grocery clerk, barista, and your neighbors will flood the world with love, joy, and peace, or can bring anger, bitterness, and hatred. Make peace wherever you go. Be kind. Extend grace and be patient. Honor the diversity of other cultures and beliefs. Don’t view people as a threat to your personal comfort or as a problem to solve, but see them as opportunities to learn from and develop a deeper understanding of God’s love for them and for you. Peace begins with one person at a time, choosing to be a peacemaker in a world at war. Let’s make peace.