Peacemakers

... the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peaceloving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness...
-James 3:17-18

I am looking for some input as to how I make sense of being a part of the US as a Christ follower and seeing how my faith connects with politics, decisions, responsibilities, how things fit together and where my peaceful passions should be directed... This is why:

I just recently entered a PhD program in Public Admin where I am getting exposed to governmental ideas more intensly than I ever have...

I recognize that we are at war in Iraq and part of me really wants us to leave because I feel like its not our place and we need to leave it up to the people there to work it out... but then I learned that about 2,000 Iraqi civillians die every month (that is like having a 9/11 every other month) and I want us to help those people...

Then I watched as the senators and generals were debating and discussing what our role as a country is in this situation...

Then I got a letter from the Save Darfur Coalition detailing the genocide that is going on in Darfur and how we need to put pressure on the UN to deploy a peace keeping mission into the nation where up to 100,000 people die per month and others live in despair on a daily basis...

The letter was asking for my voice to garner support from our politicians to go and push strongly for this peace keeping mission...

Then I think, is this the US governments' job? Is this the job of the UN? Can these people even do anything about it? Will there be peace with out healing? Do we recognize the cost and challenges that come with true reconciliation? Can we trust that will happen?

I am on a journey in faith that Christ followers are sent as part of God's redemption to bring His kingdom to earth. I believe this looks like taking a stand against injustices such as these... can that include working with politics?... I think part of it is trusting that "peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness"...

My prayer... Bring Peace, Breathe Peace, God breathe your peace on earth! Help me to recognize your compassion and character and be a part of healing and redeeming the broken places... help me to have compassion as you do on the hurting and afraid... get me out of my own self so that I can make connections with other peacemakers... help us to sow in peace...