We’re All In This Together

We’re All in This Together

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.

Matthew 5:9, NIV

There has been some racial tension in my community over the past few years. We’ve had an influx of refugees to our town, and it has created some misunderstanding and fear about those who are different from us. After a serious incident happened at our mall, a flurry of social media buzz began. Many posts were rooted in negativity and fear, demanding that something be done, that our leaders step up and take some kind of action. As I sat with a heavy heart for my community, I began to pray and ask God, How can I be a person of peace in this situation? What can I do, however small, to make things better?

Kyle and I sat down with our children later that night and told them what had happened. We explained that the actions of the person who caused the incident were wrong, but that does not mean we blame or hate an entire group of people because of what he did. Each person is an individual, we said, and we don’t need to be afraid because God will never leave us. We then talked about how we could be peacemakers in our community and in our schools.

Countless times in the Bible we are told not to fear. This can be challenging when faced with all that is happening in our world, but we always have a choice about what we will do and how we will act and respond. Jesus said that the peacemakers are blessed, for they are the children of God. This sounds simple enough, until we are faced with a situation that is anything but peaceful. As Christians, what should be our response to the hate and discord that is so often around us? I believe that we should follow Jesus’ example. We speak words of love and not hate. We speak words of hope and life, not death. We respond in kindness, even when it is undeserved. We remember that we all have a part to play. We remember that we are all in this together.

—Kendra

— Today’s Act of Kindness —

Think of a way, either in word or action, that you can bring some peace to your community.