Peacekeeper or a peacemaker?

Today's devotion has got me thinking.  Usually I read my devotion early in the day, around the time that my coffee has kicked in fully; but today I did not get to it until fairly late.  I was surprised to find that it totally applied to my week thus far!  The question posed:  "Are you a peacekeeper or a peacemaker?"

As long as I am personally at peace, I am a peacemaker.  When I do not keep my focus on God, I lose my way; that is when I am lucky if I can be just a peacekeeper.  Being a peacemaker requires me to keep God in even my smallest of thoughts and actions.  It requires me to pay attention, to be a good listener, to do my best to understand the needs of those around me.  It requires me to exemplify calmness, caring, and compassion, with inner peace as the goal.

Being a peacekeeper merely requires me to be present, whether I recognize God there or not.  It requires me to be involved only enough to maintain commotion-free state.  It requires me to exemplify nothing more than mediator, with just outer peace as the goal.

God has led me through this week in a pretty overwhelming way--but not in a negative sense.  He has "guided my steps to peace" all the way through this Wednesday evening.  Turns out I'm at least as good at peacemaking as I am at peacekeeping.  I have no doubt I'll keep walking the right direction, getting better along the path, so long as I take deep breaths and don't get in His way...

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