Can Justice Lead to Peace?

Friends Church Calgary Weekly Message

Speaker: Vince Klassen

A few weeks ago, I shared the powerful story of a woman who bravely escaped an abusive relationship after enduring years of pain. Her journey was marked by incredible strength and resilience, ultimately leading her to leave a situation that no longer served her well-being. The focus of her story wasn’t about vilifying her abuser; rather, it was about recognizing the complexities of human nature and understanding that seeing the good in everyone is an essential part of the Peacemaker skillset.

However, an intriguing question arose from her narrative: Can you truly practice peacemaking through justice? Can holding someone accountable be a way of creating peace? Especially when those boundaries seem to contradict the very essence of peace? The woman made it clear that she no longer maintains contact with her abuser because it’s necessary for her own health. This raises a significant question for us: How do we balance justice with the desire to maintain peace?

In the context of peacemaking, how do we navigate the delicate balance between mercy and justice? Is it possible that boundaries, while essential, might sometimes appear to dissolve the peace we strive for? And in the broader sense, when do we hold firm to our boundaries, and when do we offer another chance for reconciliation?

Join us this week as we delve into the nuanced skills of peacemaking. We will explore how boundaries and mercy can coexist within the peacemaker’s toolkit, and how these elements contribute to the creation of a truly harmonious world. Together, we’ll uncover the beauty of peacemaking and its profound impact on our relationships and communities.

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