Brokering Spiritual Peace

Matthew 5:9 - "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God."

Of all the verses that I heard growing up, none was repeated as often in my home as this one. "Blessed are the peacemakers," I'd hear my Mom call, as she tried, often times in vain, to stop another argument between her four sons. In our home it was often times my brother Randy who would jump in to fill the role of the peacemaker. As the middle child I was often times the instigator of whatever argument was taking place.

There is a beautiful promise that follows Christ's proclamation that the peacemakers will be blessed. That promise is that they will be called sons of God. Now that, my friends, is a pretty cool title. In fact, it goes beyond being cool to downright awesome. Do you get a sense of the gravity of this statement? Sons of God are peacemakers.

It was too recently in my life that I was anything but a peacemaker. I lost it with someone that I love very much. I used my words to wound them. And my character was anything but that which a child of God would and should display. It's amazing how easy it is for those of us who are children of the living God to degenerate into godless behavior. In Galatians 5:22-23 the Apostle Paul lists the Fruit of the Spirit. Among the fruit listed is self-control. Those who are peacemakers display this fruit. They have the Spirit given capacity to control their actions. In other words the live their life in such a way that God is actually in control. When we do, we are showing what it means to be a son or daughter of the Most High God. Pursue peace today!

Dear God,

It is all too easy to choose hurtful words, destructive actions or gossip ahead of peace. Help us not to be people who delight in evil, but people who rejoice in Your ways.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.