Being a Peacemaker

It's funny, I have always thought of myself as being a peacemaker but I'm not sure that it is actually true. Sure, I don't want to rock the boat at times but this is more that I don't like a disturbance or upsetting people by saying things. But being an active peacemaker- hmmm, I think I fail to do that.
Take when I am cross about things, I just moan about them. Moan, moan, moan...
That's not being a peacemaker at all.

But at church today, it was one of those services like Songs of Praise where people could nominate their favourite hymn.

Someone chose Make me a channel of your peace which is supposedly a Franciscan prayer.
And they said how appropriate the words were for the current world crises that are occurring.  Doesn't matter your religion or sentiments, the words are something I would strive to achieve, in order for peace to really be true in this world.  If anyone could take objection to these, I would like to know how. They are beautiful aims.


Make me a channel of your peace.
Where there is hatred let me bring your
love.
Where there is injury, your pardon, Lord
And where there's doubt, true faith in
you.

Chorus:
Oh, Master grant that I may never seek
So much to be consoled as to console
To be understood as to understand
To be loved as to love with all my soul.

Make me a channel of your peace
Where there's despair in life, let me bring
hope
Where there is darkness, only light
And where there's sadness, ever joy.

Chorus:

Make me a channel of your peace
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned
In giving to all men that we receive
And in dying that we're born to eternal
life.

Chorus:

What does that mean? What can I do:

• To share peace in all situations
• To be someone who sows love in a situation of hatred rather than bitching about it or inflating the ire further.
• To be forgiving in the case of injury.
• Strengthening others in their faith.
• To be someone who takes their time to console others when life is difficult rather than moaning and expecting sympathy for their own difficulties.
• To try and understand others, their situations and difficulties rather than feeling misunderstood by others.
• To wholeheartedly love others rather than seek for others to love me.
• To be the one who brings hope rather than being that harbringer of doom and gloom.
• To be the light in someone's life not to bring sadness or dark to their situations
• To try and be a joy-bringer when people are sad.
• To always forgive
• To pardon others what they have done wrong.
• To give to others rather than taking.

Ah...that sounds the most excellent of ways to be. It sounds hard but that is an ambition it would be good to strive for rather than any job or other achievement.  That is the most excellent of ways- being a true peacemaker.

xxx