WHEN NATIONS CLASH. Consider the US’ recent trade talks with 70+ nations and anti-war talks with Israel & Gaza, Russia & Ukraine. Plus India & Pakistan, Iran & possibly Syria. We can call each pair close neighbors. But can we call them our neighbors too?
Who do you call your neighbor? Jesus taught it was anyone you have significant contact with. For the Israel of His time that meant the hated neighboring Samaritans. For the Israel of today it means Gaza, all Arab nations, and all nations either praising or maligning Israel. And for the US that means not only Mexico and Canada, but really anyone we talk trade or peace with. So that means the great majority of nations on the earth.
On the basic personal level, loving your neighbor means respecting his boundaries and unwritten laws. So learn his laws—how close to get, what you can and can’t say and do, what makes for mutual benefit. If you violate his laws, you’ll offend him even without meaning to, and you may have to apologize. Sixteen times in the Bible that’s called sinning “unintentionally”—breaking a law unawares.
Blessed are the peacemakers
How often do you apologize saying, I really didn’t mean to offend you when I did or said that? As for me, I’ve done so many times. But when it happens between nations, it can start a bitter root that may grow up and defile many. In this way unintentional sins, if they hurt bad enough, can provoke intentional sins. And that leads to trade wars and military wars.
We can thank God for moving the US to serve as peacemaker now for both kinds of war. Just this past weekend, it made huge advances in peace talks of ceasefires between India & Pakistan and Russia & Ukraine. Also, the US got the last remaining Israeli-American hostage back from Gaza. And signed breakthrough trade deals with China and the UK. Trump makes for an example of a world leader who seeks good even for offending like Gaza, by offering plans to rebuild it.
“Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness” (James 3:18). So pray for forgiveness to flow for unintentional sins. For God’s ways to make things right for intentional sins. And in the process, for understanding and respect to grow for national boundaries and laws. For God “makes wars to cease to the end of the earth” (Ps 46:9). And with Him, so can we as individuals and as nations.
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Photo: Gerd Altmann, Pixabay
Plus ETG articles related to when nations clash:
Gaza Disarmament—Lessons from Postwar Germany
Egypt’s Gaza Plan: EU, UN & Hamas Say Yes, Israel & US No
UNRWA Fires Employees with Alleged Ties to Hamas
Top Evangelical Leaders Call on US to Support Israel
Breaking Ties with Israel—Bolivia, Chile, Columbia, Belize
Hamas Strikes on Israel Should Have Surprised No One
Who Blames Israel for Counterattack? Belize Among the Few
Jews Banned from Temple Mount Where Christ Will Come
Also BPN articles related to when nations clash:
2020 Vote—Whose Report Will You Believe?
