{"id":1210,"date":"2010-08-09T01:09:17","date_gmt":"2010-08-09T01:09:17","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/markdroberts\/2010\/08\/becoming-a-peacemaker-some-practical-advice.html"},"modified":"2010-08-09T01:09:17","modified_gmt":"2010-08-09T01:09:17","slug":"becoming-a-peacemaker-some-practical-advice","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/2010\/08\/becoming-a-peacemaker-some-practical-advice.html","title":{"rendered":"Becoming a Peacemaker: Some Practical Advice"},"content":{"rendered":"

Once again I want to address a very practical question, the kind of query I get from people who want to take God’s truth and live it out in their daily lives. So here’s a question that I can imagine being asked by such a person: “Mark, there are so many ways to be involved in God’s peacemaking work that I feel overwhelmed. I don’t even know where to start. I care about so many different issues. What should I do to begin living as a peacemaker?”<\/p>\n

First, look at what is right in front of you. Chances are that you’ll find numerous opportunities to be a peacemaker right in your own home, or in your classroom, or in your office, or in your neighborhood, or in your church. Ask the Lord to show you how you can share his peace with those who share your life each day. <\/p>\n

Second, ask God for direction concerning which ministry of peacemaking to invest in. Beware of the tendency to get over-involved. Doing more than you have time to do will quickly steal away your inner peace, and thereby enfeeble your attempts to be a peacemaker for others. Frankly, I’ve watched too many well-meaning Christians exhaust themselves so much in various worthy causes that they have little time left for their own families. Not a good peacemaking plan!<\/p>\n

Third, what is your passion? Often God directs us through our convictions and strong feelings. If you have an abiding concern about racial injustice, for example, that may be God’s way of directing you to a ministry committed to racial reconciliation. When we act on our passions, we tend to have more energy and “stick-to-itiveness.” My only word of warning is that sometimes people who are passionate about an issue can have such strong emotions that they don’t think clearly about it. (Photo: Many members of my church in Irvine had a passion for orphaned children in Swaziland. Many individuals and families from the church went to serve these children, building dorms, schools, and churches.)<\/p>\n

\"swaziland-orphans-ipc-5.jpg\"<\/span>Fourth, always seek God’s will through studying and meditating upon Scripture. You may hear the Spirit’s voice as you reflect upon what the Spirit has already said in the Bible.<\/p>\n

Fifth, allow your Christian community to help you discern where to invest your energies as a member of God’s peacemaking team. When your brothers and sisters listen to you and pray with you for guidance, they’ll also help you to distinguish between God’s call and your own immature enthusiasm.<\/p>\n

Sixth, don’t just sit there, do something! Now I don’t mean to suggest that you rush unthinkingly into some long-term commitment. But all too often well-intentioned people think about all the good they could do in the world without lifting a finger to make a real difference. So, even if you’re not sure what you’d like to do for years and years, find some short-term cause and get busy.
family.<\/p>\n

\n

This post is part of a series: Seeking the Peace of Christ: Peacemaking and Christianity<\/i><\/a>. You can read or link to the series by clicking on the series title.<\/p>\n

\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Once again I want to address a very practical question, the kind of query I get from people who want to take God’s truth and live it out in their daily lives. So here’s a question that I can imagine being asked by such a person: “Mark, there are so many ways to be involved…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":214,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[186],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1210","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-christianity-and-peacemaking"],"yoast_head":"\nBecoming a Peacemaker: Some Practical Advice - Mark D. Roberts<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/2010\/08\/becoming-a-peacemaker-some-practical-advice.html\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Becoming a Peacemaker: Some Practical Advice - Mark D. Roberts\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Once again I want to address a very practical question, the kind of query I get from people who want to take God’s truth and live it out in their daily lives. So here’s a question that I can imagine being asked by such a person: “Mark, there are so many ways to be involved…\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/2010\/08\/becoming-a-peacemaker-some-practical-advice.html\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Mark D. Roberts\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2010-08-09T01:09:17+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/markdroberts\/files\/import\/photos\/swaziland-orphans-ipc-5.jpg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Mark D. Roberts\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Becoming a Peacemaker: Some Practical Advice - Mark D. Roberts","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/2010\/08\/becoming-a-peacemaker-some-practical-advice.html","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Becoming a Peacemaker: Some Practical Advice - Mark D. Roberts","og_description":"Once again I want to address a very practical question, the kind of query I get from people who want to take God’s truth and live it out in their daily lives. So here’s a question that I can imagine being asked by such a person: “Mark, there are so many ways to be involved…","og_url":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/2010\/08\/becoming-a-peacemaker-some-practical-advice.html","og_site_name":"Mark D. Roberts","article_published_time":"2010-08-09T01:09:17+00:00","og_image":[{"url":"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/markdroberts\/files\/import\/photos\/swaziland-orphans-ipc-5.jpg"}],"author":"Mark D. Roberts","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/2010\/08\/becoming-a-peacemaker-some-practical-advice.html","url":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/2010\/08\/becoming-a-peacemaker-some-practical-advice.html","name":"Becoming a Peacemaker: Some Practical Advice - Mark D. Roberts","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/2010\/08\/becoming-a-peacemaker-some-practical-advice.html#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/2010\/08\/becoming-a-peacemaker-some-practical-advice.html#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/markdroberts\/files\/import\/photos\/swaziland-orphans-ipc-5.jpg","datePublished":"2010-08-09T01:09:17+00:00","dateModified":"2010-08-09T01:09:17+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/#\/schema\/person\/1ff094a57b7e41f534434b1723df3d73"},"breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/2010\/08\/becoming-a-peacemaker-some-practical-advice.html#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/2010\/08\/becoming-a-peacemaker-some-practical-advice.html"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/2010\/08\/becoming-a-peacemaker-some-practical-advice.html#primaryimage","url":"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/markdroberts\/files\/import\/photos\/swaziland-orphans-ipc-5.jpg","contentUrl":"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/markdroberts\/files\/import\/photos\/swaziland-orphans-ipc-5.jpg"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/2010\/08\/becoming-a-peacemaker-some-practical-advice.html#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Becoming a Peacemaker: Some Practical Advice"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/","name":"Mark D. Roberts","description":"Mark D. Roberts: Thoughtfully Christian Reflections on Jesus, the Church, and the World","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/#\/schema\/person\/1ff094a57b7e41f534434b1723df3d73","name":"Mark D. Roberts","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-content\/wphb-cache\/gravatar\/f2d\/f2ddf5f080861f66ea230384f9d1bab2x96.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-content\/wphb-cache\/gravatar\/f2d\/f2ddf5f080861f66ea230384f9d1bab2x96.jpg","caption":"Mark D. Roberts"},"description":"The Rev. Dr. Mark D. Roberts is a pastor, author, retreat leader, speaker, and blogger. Since October 2007 he has been the Senior Director and Scholar-in-Residence for Laity Lodge, a multifaceted ministry in the Hill Country of Texas. Before coming to Laity Lodge, he was for sixteen years the Senior Pastor of Irvine Presbyterian Church in Irvine, California (a city in Orange County about forty miles south of Los Angeles). Before his time at Irvine Pres, Mark served on the staff of the First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood as Associate Pastor of Education. (Thanks to Janel Pahl for taking the photo to the right.) Mark studied at Harvard University, receiving a B.A. in Philosophy, an M.A. in the Study of Religion, and a Ph.D. in New Testament and Christian Origins. He has taught classes in New Testament for Fuller Theological Seminary and San Francisco Theological Seminary. Mark has written several books, including No Holds Barred: Wrestling with God in Prayer (WaterBrook, 2005), Dare to Be True (WaterBrook, 2003), Jesus Revealed (WaterBrook, 2002), After \"I Believe\" (Baker, 2002), and Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther (Word, 1993). His most recent book is Can We Trust the Gospels? Investigating the Reliability of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John (Crossway, 2007). He is currently working on a commentary on Ephesians that will be published by Zondervan in 2014. Mark writes a devotional for The High Calling of Our Daily Work, a website associated with Laity Lodge. His \"Daily Reflections\" can be viewed online or sent as a daily email. If you wish to receive this email, just visit TheHighCalling.org and sign up. Mark serves on the editorial board of Worship Leader magazine, where he publishes articles and reviews, including his regular column \"Lyrical Poetry.\" Additionally, he has published dozens of articles in leading magazines and journals. He often speaks for churches and other Christian groups, and has been interviewed on over seventy-five radio programs nationwide. Mark is married to Linda, who is a Marriage and Family Therapist, a Spiritual Director, and a retreat speaker. They have two children, Nathan and Kara.For Publicity Photos and Bio Statements for Mark, please check here. Mark's Dossier Professional History: Senior Director and Scholar-in Residence, Laity Lodge, October 2007 to present. Senior Pastor Irvine Presbyterian Church, June 1991 to September 2007 Adjunct Assistant Professor Fuller Theological Seminary, 1994 to 2007. Courses: New Testament Theology and Exegesis. Adjunct Instructor San Francisco Theological Seminary, 1995 to 2001. Courses: New Testament Greek and Exegesis Associate Pastor of Education First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood, 1987-1991 Teaching Fellow Harvard University, 1980-1983 Education: Ph.D. in the Study of Religion. Harvard University, 1992. Area: New Testament and Christian Origins M.A. in the Study of Religion Harvard University, 1984. A.B. magna cum laude in Philosophy Harvard University, 1979. Phi Beta Kappa; Danforth Fellowship Books: Can We Trust the Gospels? Investigating the Reliability of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Crossway, 2007 No Holds Barred: Wrestling with God in Prayer. WaterBrook, 2005 Dare to Be True: Living in the Freedom of Complete Honesty. WaterBrook, 2003. Jesus Revealed: Know Him Better to Love Him Better. WaterBrook, 2002. After \"I Believe\": Experiencing Authentic Christian Living. Baker, 2002. Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther in the Communicator's Commentary Series. Word, 1993. Contacting Mark: You can reach Mark at: E-mail: mark@markdroberts.com mroberts@laitylodge.org Phone: Laity Lodge: (830) 792-1216 Address: Laity Lodge 719 Earl Garrett Kerrville, TX 78028","url":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/author\/mroberts"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1210","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/214"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1210"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1210\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1210"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1210"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1210"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}