Conflict.
If you’ve ever interacted with another human, you’ve experienced this. Some people willingly engage conflict, some even enjoy it. Others, like me, instinctively want to pretend conflicts never exist and that it’ll magically go away if you ignore it. I’ve self-identified as a 9w1 on the Enneagram, if you’re unfamiliar with the Enneagram, the 9 is the “Peacemaker.” Striving for internal harmony, avoiding unpleasant feelings and conflict, being at one with the universe, and being able to bring diverse people together. Those who know me well know I think a raised voice means we’re fighting, when people are upset I feel it deeply, I must fix things so everyone is getting along, and when there is conflict…well, no thanks.
Somehow, I ended up in a job where I have had lots of growth opportunities to handle conflict and learn how to do it well and Biblically. I’ll be forever thankful to be in an organization and role that works with many churches to serve the larger community. If you think individuals have diversity, well so do churches. Yet we’re told to seek peace and unity among the Church and body of believers (Ephesians 4:1-13).
I personally love passages about peace and unity, it feels natural to me. Yet, Scripture is intended for all of us. Peace doesn’t belong to just the Enneagram 9 Peacemakers. Peace may mean different things to different people, so what does peace mean in the Bible?
Salom (Hebrew) peace, well-being, wholeness, contentment. Isaiah 66:12
Eirenopoieo (Greek) to make peace, reconciliation between two parties causing a believer’s peace in God. Colossians 1:20
Eirene (Greek) peace, harmony, welfare, reconciliation in a relation, as when one has peace with God. Romans 8:6
Eirenopoios (Greek) peacemaker, one who restores peace between person and nations. Matthew 5:9
When you read Isaiah 66, you see that shalom (peace) has been part of God’s eternal plan. An eternal plan for Jesus to reconcile the world back to God and for this message to go out to all nations and bring them into His glory (Isaiah 66:18, Colossians 1:20)
20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross. Colossians 1:20
We can firmly rest in the peace God brought, Romans 8:6: “but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace.” We were made whole when we were reconciled back to God and now we live filled with the spirit and become at harmony with the world again as we see all our relations to ourselves, others, and all of creation healed.
We should be ruled by this peace and become peacemakers in the name of Christ.
14 Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. 15 See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many. Hebrews 12:14-15
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said “blessed are the peacemakers for the will be called children of God.” Matthew 5:9. Now that we are completed by our adoption into God’s family, it is our responsibility to become peacemakers. When we are peacemakers, we not only bring unity and healing to conflicts, but we ultimately bring reconciliation and peace to the nations.
When we live in conflict with others and allowing bitterness to build, we detract from the Gospel message because our lives should become a new creation pursuing holiness. Look at the last part of Hebrews 12:14, when we live lives without holiness and in the flesh, others around us aren’t able to see the Lord.
For those who are unreconciled to God, we stand as a blockade when we live in conflict, bitterness, and strife. We are to be peacemakers for the nations and we can’t do that when we aren’t pursuing holiness.
For those who are our brothers and sisters in Christ, we should continuously pursue peace and unity with each other. We have all be reconciled to God and are a family, each of us made whole now. In fact, when Jesus prayed for all believers in John 17, he prayed that we would remain united as a way of proclaiming Jesus to the world. Think of it this way, have you ever felt mentally torn like you have conflicting thoughts? You feel like a war is raging in yourself, why? Because you’re in conflict with yourself and it doesn’t feel good and sometimes you may start to feel depressed or even anxious. In the same way, we are one body of believers and when we are at conflict within ourselves it can cause division, anxiety, turmoil. We don’t like to feel torn apart internally, let’s strive not to be torn externally with the rest of the Body of Christ.
2 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. 3 Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called. Ephesians 4:2-4
I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one— 23 I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. John 17:21-23
If you’re someone who enjoys conflict and you even get a little excited at the idea of an argument, remind yourself to remain humble, gentle, and patient. Life isn’t about you being right and life isn’t about getting to put someone in their place, life in the spirit is peace. We’re thankful that you are brave enough to confront conflict head on but do so graciously. True joy doesn’t come from the fight, it comes from resolution in harmony and unity. Lead others to Christ in conflict and not away.
If you’re someone who hates conflict and wishes the world could always be harmonious without any bad feelings, to hide under rocks. Fellow Enneagram 9s, we’re peacemakers! We naturally have a bend towards feeling when life is off balance and there is conflict between people, use it to bring unity back to the body of believers and bring others to the peace of Christ. Conflict may make you feel uncomfortable but embrace it to bring true peace. Ignoring problems doesn’t create unity or peace, resolving conflict in a God-honoring way does.
Growing up Catholic we closed each Mass with this phrase, and it feels appropriate to use to close here.
Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.