Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called
children of God (Matthew 5:9).
What is Jesus really saying here? How fortunate are
those who don’t content themselves with being spectators at a fight, but who
step in and initiate reconciliation, who take a volatile situation and guide it
to resolution; and who, rather than say, “There’s no hope,” bring the
encouraging word, “Give peace a chance.” People like that resemble their
heavenly Father, and people notice.
Maybe it’s true that conflict is an inevitable part of our
existence. But does that mean we accept it as status quo, slap Band-aids on the
wounds it inflicts and not even try and get to the underlying causes where real
healing can begin? It’s too easy to rationalize that since one single person is
unlikely to stop violence between nations; we are excused from mediating
arguments between friends.
The author of Proverbs writes: A hot-tempered person
stirs up conflict, but the one who is patient calms a quarrel (15:18).
What if I refused to stoke a conflict, applying water to
smoldering fires rather than gasoline? What if I actively advocated for peace,
refusing to settle for wars and rumors of wars (Matthew 24:6)? And what if I had the kind and volume of shalom
in my life that overflowed to those around me?
[Peacemakers] will be called children of God. When we stand up for peace, and when we
allow ourselves to be used as conduits for peace, those whom we influence will
recognize in us the DNA of our heavenly Father. We will be called children of
God.
TODAY’S MEDITATION
What does it mean to be
called a child of God?
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