One of the small but beautiful wonders of Scripture is that God inspired its authors to occasionally divulge a curious detail for which no further explanation is offered. One such tantalizing piece of seemingly inconsequential information appears in the Old Testament story of David and Goliath.
As young David prepared to face the enemy’s giant in mortal combat, we are told that he “took his staff in his hand, chose five smooth stones from the stream, put them in the pouch of his shepherd’s bag and, with his sling in his hand, approached the Philistine” (1 Samuel 17:40). We have no idea why the ancient writer (Samuel) felt compelled to tell us that David chose “five smooth stones.” What follows is my own idea about how those five smooth stones can be put to good use as a memory aid for summarizing the attitude of a peacemaking warrior in the church militant.
Stone One: Faith. God is faithful; trust his promises. Faith sets a Christian’s approach to conflict resolution apart from secular conflict-resolution strategies. Your confidence that God will provide the resources you need to accomplish the impossible empowers you.
Stone Two: Humility. Search your heart. Be prepared to repent of your own sins. Where you have wronged your neighbor, acknowledge it and ask your neighbor to forgive you. Then look to the cross of Christ for God’s forgiveness and healing.
Stone Three: Forgiveness. Forgive those who have hurt you, even as God has forgiven you. God’s selfless love motivates you to forgive others unconditionally. Be patient and long-suffering for the sake of those whose faith is weak or fragile, even when their words and behaviors remain belligerent.
Stone Four: God’s promises. Among Christians the common ground for dialog is the Bible, where God promises to give you his power to heal broken relationships. The Bible is the source of truth, hope, encouragement, and comfort. Look for opportunities to read and study Scripture together with people who are in conflict with you.
Stone Five: Prayer. The unbelieving world will hate Christians and act like an enemy. Unbelievers may not be willing to dialog or respond to sincere overtures for peace. Ask God to forgive them when they damage your reputation or harm your body. Seek God’s strength to endure in the face of their attacks. Pray for the wisdom to remember that your real enemy is Satan and his evil angels.
The Next Level
Strategic plans come in all shapes and sizes and with varying degrees of complexity. Some work better than others. To his followers (including you and me), Jesus once suggested, “When you enter a house, first say, ‘[Shalom] to this house.’” The shalom you and I have to share with a world that is still at war with its Creator is the eternal peace of God’s unearned forgiveness and undeserved love. Go in peace. Go with God’s peace in hand, and live the life of a peacemaker.
Excerpt from A Heart at Peace: Biblical Strategies for Christians in Conflict.