The overwhelmed peacemaker

Not exactly a peaceful Easter…

On Good Friday 2017, the beginning of Easter, my newborn twins came home after 10 weeks in hospital.  With their sister I was a confident, relaxed mum.  Suddenly, a single parent of three kids under two, I confess to feeling out of my depth.  I was shocked when the twins awoke every hour or two.  Leaving the house meant descending three flights of stairs – one in a carrier, one slung over my free arm, and the two year old climbing awkwardly behind my legs.  I remember my bewilderment when we would return from outings.  All three would be crying and I couldn’t decide whether to feed the twins, or the toddler, or my own mouth first as the quickest way back to peace.

Parenting on a cross

Jesus’ death on the cross strikes me as the ultimate expression of parenting.  He devotes himself to the family he loves before they even understand what he’s doing, or how much it costs him.  He strips himself of comfort and dignity to serve their interests.  Their growth and strength are borne of weakness he chooses – because he loves them. Although Jesus is fully God and fully man, at times, in his humanity, Jesus is overwhelmed.  He admits that.  He asks for pain to be taken away – but presses on regardless.  And still, he gives.

The first to risk love

In our relationships, life often demands that we give first, hoping that five steps toward a brother will result in one step towards us.  Peacemaking is like that.  Reaching out to restore a relationship must always start with me (Matthew 5:23-24). Reaching out first is my job, regardless of what each party brings to the conflict.

Peace in his honour

This Easter, I encourage you to diminish the space between yourself and one person with whom there is tension.  Take the initiative, and absorb some of the conflict’s cost, in honour of the one who initiated reconciliation with the world and paid its cost in full.  For more information on personal peace-making, check out our Everyday Peacemaking course.

This article is by Tammy Brinsmead. Tammy is busy mum to three, who works as a neonatologist in her free time.  She loves sport, cacao smoothies and eight hours of uninterrupted sleep.