Sunday, 27 August 2023
“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.”
In every situation, every relationship, do not stir up conflict, but work for peace!
God calls us to be peacemakers in the literal sense. Whatever situation you are in, it is the Christian’s role to be the peacemaker. Never stir up an argument. Don’t get someone riled up for the sake of an argument.
However, this verse is talking about something far deeper. It’s talking about an attitude of the heart. Look at 1 Peter 3:4 “…with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God's sight is very precious.” If you have a gentle and quiet spirit, won’t you naturally be a peacemaker? If you are at rest in your heart, then is it not a natural outflowing of that to be at rest in whatever situation you are in? With this attitude, being a peacemaker will be a natural part of your life.
But being a peacemaker goes against our sinful human nature. Our nature is to fight to be thought of as right, as the one who should be listened to, as the one whose opinions and desires should be the focus of everyone around us. That’s why Jesus said that the person who is a peacemaker rather than a defender-of-my-own-rights will be called a child of God. Everyone will know that there is something different about this person, that God makes a difference.
Rest in what God thinks of you, and you will be able to let go of the instinctive compulsion to make sure your way of thinking is accepted, your way of doing things is what happens.
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