We are living in a time of war.
The Heidelberg Institute for International Conflict Research lists 221 violent conflicts happening around the world right now. The number of full-blown wars that they track has increased to 28.
These big fights don’t even count the many smaller acts of violence that occur every day. We are appalled by the recent shooting at Silver Rail Elementary School in Bend, Oregon, but it is only one of 21 mass killings by gunfire that have occurred in the U.S. this year. There are even more mass shootings (shootings during which less than 4 people are killed) — 354 through September 30, 2026. This is not the kind of world that I want to live in.
It can feel hopeless. Most of us are not in a position to stop a war, or even to influence our government officials to stop fighting. So we pray. The first Tuesday of every month my church holds a Peace Vigil where a small group gathers to pray and sing and read and talk. We wanted to do something more — something visible. So we are getting together with some other churches to hold a Peace Walk, moving through the community with signs that have messages promoting peace. We just want others to know where we stand as Christians.
There is even more we can do. In our personal lives, we can find ways to promote peace. When someone cuts you off in traffic (and it will happen), you have a choice. You can honk or flash your lights or shake your fist, or you can make a more peaceful response. Smile. Say a quick prayer that they stay safe. Think of all the possible reasons that they are in a hurry.
It is easy to get agitated. Are there gentler, kinder ways to tell your child not to do something? Are there ways to develop activities that engage people who feel isolated or ignored? Can you see a new way to make your neighborhood a fairer or more beautiful place? Moving in these ways rather than reactively responding is a small way to help develop a more peaceful world. The best way to stop violence is not to respond to it, but to prevent it.
There are several ways we can do this in our personal lives.
When conflict shows up, deal with it. Don’t let it fester and grow. This means addressing the uncomfortable truths and talking to people even when we don’t want to.
Listen. This may be the most important thing we can do. Most conflicts include some element of misunderstanding. When we really listen to try to understand the other person’s position, we might find that we hold something in common. If we listen with the attitude that we may actually be wrong, that’s even better.
Take responsibility. If you’ve made a mistake, admit it. See my post “Two Kinds of People.”
Forgive. Holding grudges and bitterness is a movement away from peace. Forgiveness is a step towards it.
There is another way to work for peace. Vote. Vote for the people who talk about peace. Vote for the candidate who doesn’t use attack ads. Vote against your selfish interests if you have to. If we don’t find a way to a more peaceful world, who will?
