Lesson Seven: Peacemakers

Matthew 5:9-10 "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted because
of
righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."

Objectives: At the end of the lesson, students will be able to...

1. Know what a peacemaker is.
2. Enumerate peace-making steps for each lesson principle.
3. Identify steps to become a peacemaker amongst peers and family.

Personal Preparation:
q I have read the Scripture text.
q I have prayed for guidance in preparing the lesson.
q I have prayed for my students.
q I have prepared the materials needed for this lesson.

Opening Activity
Watch and reflect on this poem by Max Ehrmann set to inspirational music: [Link]

Consult God's Compass

Who are the peacemakers?

Peacemakers are those who become instruments of reconciliation.

Peacemakers are those who strive hard so as not to cause conflict with anybody.

Who are the sons of God?

Anyone who promotes peace is identified with God Himself who is the Prince of Peace.
Anyone who tries hard not to be at odds with others possesses the very quality of God who reconciles all men_to Himself.

How to be a peacemaker:
 Refuse to be with people who are quarrelsome.
 Never, ever listen to people who are telling things against any person.
 Acknowledge your limitations or your own fault. Apologize if necessary.
 Wisely m a k e Pf f n r t c t o i n r i r i a n n t h n r c
  Acknowledge your limitations or your own fault. Apologize if necessary.
 Wisely make efforts to bridge others.
 Hold your temper and be even-tempered at all times.
 Commit to be peaceful at all times.
 Make Jesus your model.

Resolving conflict

1.) Communication

Discussing the problem forges a group identity, which enhances concern for everyone's welfare. It devises group norms and
consensus expectations and puts pressure on members to follow them. Especially when people are face to face rabies ten
to commit themselves to cooperation.

Open, clear, forthright communication reduces mistrust. Without communication, those who expect others not to coccerze
will usually refuse to cooperate themselves. One who mistrusts almost has to be uncooperative (to protect agaInst expioitmett
Non cooperation, in turn, feeds further mistrust)"What else could I do? It's a dog-eat-dog wo - e). In merlons*,
communication reduces mistrust, enabling people to reach agreement that lead to their common betterr-i---:
Appeals to altruistic norms. Just knowing the dire consequences of noncooperation has little effect on on. 1...5
a*.'
sometimes fail to influence behavior, so knowing the good does not necessarily lead to doing the die se

adhere to norms of social responsibility, reciprocity, equity, and keeping one's commitments. The hoot ti' '

feelings. One way is through the influence of charismatic, self-defining situations that imply cooperative

Communication can also tap altruistic norms... [by] appeal[s] to the social responsibility norm.
What causes conflict?

P e r c e i v e d i n j u s t i c e
M i s p e r c e p t i o n
S i m p l i s t i c t h i n k i n g
S h i f t i n g p e r c e p t i o n s
Mirror- image and negative mirror image perceptions
How can peace be achieved?
Because we have a tendency to "underestimate situational influences and overestimate dispositional influences upon others'
behavior", called the Fundamental Attribution Error in psychology, it is important that we always consciously think about the
situational forces in play both for both of you and perhaps for the person before you met in evaluating and justifying their actions.

We must foster better understanding of the other party and forge closer relations with them in order to achieve peace through the
following steps:

1. Contact Increased contact predicted decreased prejudice.

Unequal contact breeds attitudes that merely justify the continuation of inequality. So it's important that the contact be equal
status contact.

2. C o o p e r a t i o n Common external threats build cohesiveness

Although equal-status contact can help it is sometimes not enough. Given entrenched hostility, what can a peacemaker do?
Consider what happens to people who together face a common predicament.
Superordinate goals foster cooperation
A shared goal that necessitates cooperative effort; a goal that overrides people's differences from one another.
 Working cooperatively has especially favorable effects under conditions that lead people to define a new, inclusive group that
dissolves their former subgroups. Old feelings of bias against another group diminishes their former subgroups of the two
groups sit alternately around a table (rather than on opposite sides) give their new group of a single name, and them work
together under conditions that foster a good mood, "Us" and "them" become "we."

 Forging unifying ideals

"Most of us have overlapping identities which unite is with very different groups. We can love what we are, without
hating what-and who-we are not. We can thrive in our own tradition, even as we learn from others, and come to
respect their teachings."
-Kofi Annan, Nobel Peace Prize Lecture, 2001

Communication
Through...

Bargaining Mediating Arbitrating

Seeking ar1,0greeMent to a conflict throu An attempt by a neutral 3 — party to Resolution of a conflicting a

- rd
neutro
otiations resolve a conflict by facilitating 3 party who studies both sides .
s. commun icati on and offering and imposes a settlement
suggestions.
A\ ,

Conciliation by:
 Announcing conciliatory intent
 Carrying out several verifiable conciliatory acts
 Voluntary non-maintenance of retaliatory capability.
 Be firm, fair and friendly
 Pause and Reflect

Individual Introspection

in answering, consider your own situation, personality/temperament, and environment for each peace keeping step that you do.
-

Allow students to answer Pause and Reflect: A of their IN STEP JOURNALS.

Group Interaction

Lot the group present and interpret their work upfront.

At the Crossroads

Pinoy Kasi! & Values Clarification

Ask: "What actions can you make that supercedes peace-keeping within your immediate environment and support iritemats--er
world peace?"

Provide sufficient time for students to process their thoughts through answering Pause and Reflect: B in their IN STEP JOURNALS

Real People, Real Models

Samantha Smith is proof that even anybody of any age can make a peacemaker. Ask the class to identify steps in order to eirt....43
her in their community and nation.
Reach the Peak
Let the students discuss the pointers here in their SteppingStoneSets and formulate concrete game plans to put all that thegi
learned into action every day.

Each SteppingStoneSet member should memorize then recite out loud Matthew 5:9, 10 to his or her set.
Conclude by playing background inspirational music and allowing the students to complete recording their reflections. insets. 3e4'
plans in their IN STEP JOURNALS Conclude the session with Popcorn Prayer.