Peace
“God blesses those who work for peace, for they will be called the children of God.” Matthew 5:9
There is apparently an unofficial United Nations motto that says: “Blessed are the peacemakers for they will take flak from both sides.” Any suggestion that the making of peace is easy will only come from those who haven’t started making any. Making peace involves getting alongside people who are angry and hurt. It involves bringing people together who hate and mistrust one another. It calls us to step courageously into the middle of disputes with the hope that we can bring peace.
It’s not surprising that Jesus said that peacemakers are called the children of God, because God is the supreme peacemaker. That is precisely why he sent his son Jesus into the world. The apostle Paul wrote: “Christ himself has brought peace to us. He united Jews and Gentiles into one people when, in his own body on the cross, he broke down the wall of hostility that separated us” (Ephesians 2:14). The hatred that existed between Jews and Gentiles was so intense that any thought of peace seemed impossible. But Jesus achieved it through his death on the cross. No wonder people who take on the tough job of peacemaking are identified as belonging to the family of our peacemaking God.
Each one of us will be given opportunities to make peace daily. We may do it by praying about a difficult situation, or by sharing a word of encouragement, or by offering to talk through a tense situation with a colleague, neighbour, friend or family member. And we need to remind ourselves that as we take steps to make peace, however small and insignificant they may seem, we are getting involved in the work of God himself. We are showing that we truly belong to his family.
QUESTION
In what ways might you be able to make peace today?
PRAYER
God of peace, thank you for bringing peace into my life. Fill me with your Holy Spirit so that I will be able to share peace with those around me today. Amen
PHOTOGRAPH – St Colman’s Parish Church, Dunmurry
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