June 13, 2019
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
- Matthew 5:9 NIV
Jesus was humiliated, mocked, beaten and crucified to bring us peace.
Though our trials will never approach the agony of his, we shouldn’t be surprised at the cost of peace-making. We will often be misunderstood and we may be alone in our efforts to bring peace.
There are tremendous costs when we work at being a peacemaker:
We may be mocked similar to the way Jesus was mocked. He didn’t defend himself, retaliate, become abusive or nasty. Keeping our mouth shut is never easy.
We have to give up the “right” to seek justice for ourselves, and we must trust God as the ultimate judge.
We may have to pay the debt of someone else to bring about peace, as Jesus did.
We may need to offer forgiveness and reconciliation even if we don’t know if it will ever be accepted, just as Jesus did.
Who knows what Jesus will ask of any one of us, and when the situation will require a peacemaker? Let us pray that we are willing to be an appropriate peacemaker when the situation requires it, just as Jesus did, knowing that we belong to him.
"The followers of Jesus have been called to peace. When he called them they found their peace, for he is their peace. But now they are told that they must not only have peace but make it."
Dietrich Bonhoeffer, The Cost of Discipleship
Blessings to you.