"When peace like a river" ...what peace?

Ben Franklin's maxim about the inevitability of death and taxes could well be re-written to include a third inevitable experience in life: Conflict! It's everywhere - politics, religion, church, school, local pub, homes, among friends. Surely there is a time for conflict and, perhaps, even for war. There is a time when defense of the weak and establishment of justice requires that we move against evil with a strong hand, BUT, that's not the case with most of the conflict I experience. I am fairly certain that in your world, like mine; more of your fights are about personal preference and pride than about justice! Come on, you know it, too.

I know what you're going to say because I've justified conflict many times by saying it myself- "I HAVE to defend myself or everyone will walk all over me!" Really, is that true all of the time? Or is that our assumption? Ever tried setting the power plays aside and risking vulnerability? Ever tried actively pursuing peace? Peter says if we want to 'love life and see good days' that one of the things we must choose to do is to 'seek peace and pursue it.' (1 Peter 3: 10-11) Honestly, sometimes I do not want peace. I want a win! When someone resists me, or treats me with contempt, my sinful nature says, "Go get'em! Make a show of strength so they won't do it again. Roar like a lion!" Come on, surely you have felt that urge too! In that moment, Jesus' instructions about 'turning the other cheek' is the last thing I want to hear.

In 1 Samuel 25, we read one of the more dramatic stories from the life of David. A rogue and a hero, a sinner and a saint by turns. In this chapter he is the rogue. David was on the run from King Saul, living desperately in the desert of Maon. He provided a kind of security service for the people of the region. One day he sent several men to a rich guy from the area named Nabal. He asked Nabal to give his men some provisions. Nabal, who the Bible describes as 'surly and mean in his dealings,' refuses the request and adds an insult for David, implying he's just a 'street punk' to the refusal of provision! When David got the message from his men, his response was an irrational anger and a consuming desire for vengeance! He says to his warriors, "Put on your swords!" and took 400 of them to settle the score with mean old Nabal! (aptly named, by the way, for his name means, "fool.")

Enter Abigail. She was Nabal's wife and the Bible says that she was 'intelligent and beautiful.' When word reached Abigail that her husband had insulted David and that he was on his way to settle the score, she "lost no time. She took two hundred loaves of bread, two skins of wine, five dressed sheep, five seahs of roasted grain, a hundred cakes of raisins and two hundred cakes of pressed figs, and loaded them on donkeys. Then she told her servants, “Go on ahead; I’ll follow you.” But she did not tell her husband Nabal. As she came riding her donkey into a mountain ravine, there were David and his men descending toward her, and she met them....." (1 Samuel 25:18-20)

She interceded eloquently for her husband with wise words of peace! Please forgive your servant’s offense, for the LORD will certainly make a lasting dynasty for my master, because he fights the LORD’s battles. Let no wrongdoing be found in you as long as you live. Even though someone is pursuing you to take your life, the life of my master will be bound securely in the bundle of the living by the LORD your God. But the lives of your enemies he will hurl away as from the pocket of a sling. When the LORD has done for my master every good thing he promised concerning him and has appointed him leader over Israel, my master will not have on his conscience the staggering burden of needless bloodshed or of having avenged himself. And when the LORD has brought my master success, remember your servant.”(1 Samuel 25:28-31)

David's anger was abated by this woman's words, but it's not over! The drama is about to increase. (Violins rising, please) Abigail went home and found her husband drunk at a party. The next day when he sobered up, she told him about the disaster she had averted. Nabal, gripped with great fear, had a heart attack, slipped into a coma, and died 10 days later! David later married this woman!

Talk about a win/win outcome. His conscience is clear AND he gets the beautiful girl! (And who says the Bible is boring? That's better than Shakespeare!)

• Are you a person of peace?
  Are you willing to wade into conflict with wise words that seek to restore relationships and heal old wounds?
  Are you willing to let it wait on God's solution?

Remember Peter's line? "Seek peace and pursue it." We can't just make an effort at peace. Conflict is persistent so we must run after peace, reaching out to take hold of it, expending extended effort in our attempts at reconciliation and peace-making. If we will let the sinful nature die and become a person of peace, we will be like God, who seeks to reconcile us to Himself. Jesus said (Matthew 5:9) Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.

James 3:17 reminds us that "the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere." In our conflicts, may we be filled with the Spirit and allow the Heavenly way to become our way.