There is a difference between being peaceful and being a peacemaker. A fellow pastor told me about an elected church leader who refuses to become involved with anything controversial. This leader is a no-show on big issues and justifies his behavior as "a desire to be peaceful."

Being peaceful, however, is different from being a peacemaker, which we are all called to be.

Peacemakers do not sit on their hands but often are in the middle of conflict, seeking to reconcile leaders. Peacemakers are often risk takers, willing to enter the fray with an expanded heart.

Excerpted from Managing Conflict Well, a new downloadable resource from Gifted for Leadership.