The Beatitudes: Steps to Follow (8)
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.
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Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. (Matthew 5:9)
PeaceMakers
Beginning with yesterday’s blessings on the pure in heart, Jesus words have entered into very difficult territory. There is little peace in the world. I suspect that the percentage of readers who personally know people estranged from one another is 100%. The divisions in this country are troublesome—and there are certainly those who feed off the divisions. We need peacemakers.
There are two types of peacemakers that come to mind. The first is where I seek to be at peace with everyone. The second is where I seek to bring peace to two or more estranged people or groups.
Concerning the first, Paul wrote, “If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men.” (Romans 12:18) Note that there is no guarantee of success. Doing your part makes you a peacemaker. Also, note the advice that Paul gave Timothy along these lines:
Now flee from youthful lusts and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart. But refuse foolish and ignorant speculations, knowing that they produce quarrels. The Lord's bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged, with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will. (2 Timothy 2:22-26)
Here are Paul’s key points.
Pursue peace—along with righteousness, faith, and love. Such things do not just happen, we must go after them
Refuse ignorant and foolish speculations—do your homework. Know the facts. Stick with the facts. People might quibble over facts, but they quarrel over speculations. Knowing the facts and being teachable helps us not to feel threatened—and defensively lashing out.
Character and attitude: Kind, able to teach, patient when wronged, and gently correcting those in opposition. Knowing the facts and presenting them with gentleness. It is an attitude that works to defuse the emotional component of an argument.
Leave the convincing to God. The movies are full of confrontations that resolve immediately when the hero speaks just the right word in the most convincing of manners. Not so with us. Seek to provide the facts, but do not press for the change of heart. The change is likely to come later—when the person is alone and reflects on the facts.
Now for the second kind of peacemaker—the one who works to bring peace between others. I have no quick advice here—and most likely few of us have the acumen. I can say that you would have to be at peace with both parties—and you would have to have the confidence of both parties. Each should sense that you are on their side.
Called Sons [and Daughters] of God
Peacemaking is hard. Indeed, those who succeed are likely given wisdom by God that makes their efforts successful. We are sons and daughters of God, because God sought to make peace with His enemies and we are like Him when we do the same. “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:1)
In the Messianic Kingdom, when Jesus rules over the earth, He will be the King of Peacemakers as He judges the earth.
And He will judge between the nations, And will render decisions for many peoples; And they will hammer their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not lift up sword against nation, And never again will they learn war. (Isaiah 2:4)