THE BEATITUDES (7)
Jesus said,
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
(Mt. 5:9)
Blessed are believers who promote peace, seek to restore harmony among those in conflict, and maintain peace where it already exists. These shall be called children of the God of Peace.
God implores mankind, above all, to reconcile itself to Him; made a way to accomplish this; and offers reconciliation freely to all who willingly receive it. He gave His only son, Jesus Christ, to pay for our transgressions against Him and restore us to peace with Himself.
God’s Spirit grants believers the ability to live as peacemakers. To avoid sowing seeds of discord among others; and avoid getting drawn into conflicts. The believer can actively promote peace and help restore it in a world full of alienation, division and strife.
But efforts to live above strife and division in this world may leave us with few friends. Jesus Christ, the model peacemaker, found Himself alone during a time of sectarian division. But the Heavenly Father will compensate his child richly one day for the earthly privileges he forfeited to keep peace.
---Beverly Nickles