If You Master The Inter-Personal Peace Concepts You Will Try to Live In Peace with Everyone
3rd May 2021
The “Inter-Personal Peace” is an article designed to guide you in understanding the significance of peace among individuals, the methods to achieve and sustain it, and its importance for personal growth and social interaction. The article approaches this subject in a unique way. For additional insights, please read the entire article.
WHAT IS AN INTER-PERSONAL PEACE?
Interpersonal peace refers to harmony between individuals. For instance, peace within a family is interpersonal because it involves multiple people. Similarly, peace between an individual and God is interpersonal. Peace within a clan, tribe, or nation also falls under this category as it encompasses more than one person.
Personal peace, or intrapersonal peace, is the tranquility found within an individual. Likewise, inner conflict is known as intrapersonal conflict. Conflicts between two people are termed interpersonal conflicts. This extends to conflicts within families, between tribes, and so on.
When there is harmony between myself and God, between myself and others, and between myself and other creatures, I experience interpersonal peace. Conversely, any conflict between an individual and another entity is an interpersonal conflict, as previously described. Having outlined peace at the interpersonal level using simple terms, let us explore how to achieve peace at this level.
Related: Life Coaching Ultimate Guide
HOW DO YOU FIND AN INTER-PERSONAL PEACE?
Just as every level of society has both peaceful and violent individuals, there are also good and peaceful people within each stratum. These individuals can be the best proponents of peace, as they have been in previous eras of societal harmony.
Historically, Africans had unique methods of maintaining peace among people. This involved allowing fights between individuals, as it was seen as a way to prevent future conflicts. Boys or girls could fight until one party was defeated. The loser would then concede and avoid fighting the same opponent again.
In the modern world, perspectives have shifted. The traditional means of resolving conflicts through physical confrontation is often misunderstood or unappreciated from a Western viewpoint. In the past, even men and women were permitted to engage in combat in a controlled manner, using their hands or non-lethal means, ensuring no fatal harm could occur.
In this manner, people became so well-acquainted with each other that they chose to offer support and encouragement rather than engage in conflict. For instance, if you are stronger than I am, there is no reason for you to initiate a fight with me. Likewise, I wouldn’t consider it, knowing full well your strengths, and of course, your bull’s strengths.
This liberty to engage in conflict without causing harm or death to opponents was considered the optimal way to foster peace, love, and harmony in the era of our ancestors. What methods can we employ today to achieve the same outcome?
As responsible adults, we utilize words and positive actions to cultivate peace and harmony among individuals. We have places like churches and mosques where we educate people about the significance of both personal and communal peace. Nevertheless, individuals still possess the freedom to make their own choices, selecting what they deem best for themselves.
HOW DO YOU MAINTAIN AN INTER-PERSONAL PEACE?
Individuals hold the keys to their own lives, so how can we strive to maintain interpersonal peace? There are numerous techniques for living peacefully with oneself and within a family.
Some people are challenging to live with, leading some individuals to choose to remain unmarried. However, married or not, one may still face regrets. If one is prone to regret, it may color their entire life experience.
The best approach might be to first find peace within oneself before attempting to live peacefully with others. This is often a matter of personality; some are naturally peaceful, while others are naturally inclined to violence.
As Paul suggested, it’s our duty to live in peace with everyone, if possible. While this isn’t always feasible, we are encouraged to pursue it. We are children of light, not darkness or chaos, called to live in peace with others as much as possible. This is how we maintain peace with God, with others, and with all creation.
As I write this, I have just returned to my hotel room in Nairobi, Kenya, where I have been residing to write articles from December 2020 to January 2021. Earlier, I encountered three dogs outside. It wasn’t our first meeting; we’ve seen each other for several weeks now.
The dogs recognize me, and I recognize them—not by name, but by appearance and, of course, personality. Did you know that dogs can discern the kind of person you are, similar to another human? Indeed, they can sense whether you are peaceful or aggressive simply by observing your face for a moment.
Try calling a dog that has never seen you before and observe the reaction. Their response is nearly identical to how we react to strangers. However, if you spend time getting to know them, they will recognize you, and they will approach when called.
They respond in a manner that reflects your personality. This suggests that we can either live in harmony or conflict with the rest of creation and the natural world. This might seem overwhelming, but it is quite tangible. Every entity possesses its form of intelligence. Even inanimate objects have their own brand of intelligence. Well, that’s all for now!
MY FINAL WORDS
My parting message is that inner peace leads to peace among individuals. When I am at peace, I can share it with you and others in many expected and unexpected ways. Even animals can sense whether a person is peaceful. They gauge the kind of person you are by your thoughts, words, and actions.
The key point here is that it remains our personal duty to live peacefully with ourselves and others. Both personal and interpersonal peace are entirely our responsibility because we can only change ourselves, not others or the animals around us. We can advocate for peace, but the ultimate decision rests with them.
I trust you’ve found the article on Inter-Personal Peace useful. Feel free to share your views in the comments section below. Your support and feedback are greatly valued. May God bless you and protect you during and beyond the pandemic. Shalom!
FURTHER READINGS
- Family and Interpersonal Conflict—Conflict to Peace.
- Marital Separation—Conflict to Peace.