God is a good Creator – loving, sovereign, holy, fair, gracious and He hates sin. He created a world of order and peace (shalom) which was good.
To live in this world, He created people with the gifts of life, dignity, freedom and the ability to work and maintain meaningful relationships.
From Isaiah 32:17 mankind therefore has the responsibility to not sit with folded hands and wait for the shalom, but to be God’s co-workers in his mission. Jesus promises the kingdom of heaven to everyone who chooses righteousness (goodness) as a way of life.
The role of peacemaker in the community is not only associated with individual people from the Sermon on the Mount, but with the faith community who fights for the shalom of their community.
The search for the shalom of the city includes healing, prosperity, and unity of community members.
The South African society thus requires that loving deeds of true caring will get people involved in one another’s physical needs. Researchers declare that the South African poverty problem is more a caring-problem than anything else.
Through co-operation and the involvement of all interested parties to effect change and create good relationships, the shalom of the society can be obtained.
God, from his heart of goodness, wants to give every person and the South African society peace (shalom).
God calls the church (all believers) to become involved.
Genuine caring with accompanying deeds of goodness has the potential to create the shalom of the city, namely healing, prosperity and unity of community members. – Dr Jackie Botes is of the AFM Deo Doxa
