Peace Keeping vs. Peacemaking

Peacekeepers are conflict avoiders, sweeping important issues under the carpet so no conflict manifests itself. This often happens in families and churches. This also happens between alienated ethnic groups and countries. Peacekeepers separate two parties in order to prevent conflict and thereby keep the peace. Temporary separation for the sake of de-escalation is a valid step in the process of peacemaking during a war and in a radically broken marriage or relationship.

When tensions or emotions run high, we need outside help to keep us from explosive reactions. Peacekeeping is peace faking. It is a forced peace; it is a false peace. And God does not like false peace. “They have healed the brokenness of My people superficially, Saying, ‘Peace, peace,’ But there is no peace” (Jeremiah 6:14 NASB; see also Jeremiah 8:11; Ezekiel 13:10). True peace is not just the absence of conflict but the presence of harmony.

And so peacemakers sometimes need to be peace disturbers. They need to shake things up, expose hidden heart issues or confront barriers to harmony. The Prince of Peace certainly disturbed the peace of the Pharisees more than once. Jesus relentlessly challenged them about their attitudes of superiority and judgment—two mindsets that divide rather than unite people.

Moreover, Jesus said they did not have the love of God in their hearts (John 5:42). He knew that the motivating power of God’s love was lacking in the Pharisees and would undermine harmony in relationships. Martin Luther King Jr. had to do a lot of peace disturbing in the peacemaking effort we call the civil rights movement. King boldly and lovingly addressed the hypocrisy, prejudice and injustices perpetrated by the white establishment against African Americans. But he wasn’t just trying to overthrow white supremacy. He sought reconciliation between these two groups. Before there could be peace, the status quo had to be disturbed.