22 Aug 2014
Matthew 5:9
Matthew 5:9: “Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.”
I have to say here that in modern times our society has forgotten what peace actually means. People think that peace is simply the absence of war, and that you get peace by being as non-threatening as possible. So when nation X starts doing terrible things and threatens to kill millions of people, peace activists tell everyone to drop their weapons, lay on the ground, and hope that nation X decides to do the right thing.
Real peace comes through victory, not through hoping that if the police lay down their guns the bad guys will become nice people. You can get peace through slavery too, and by allowing evil people to triumph, but that is the peace of death. Genuine peace is much harder to achieve, and few people are willing to pay the price to get it.
There are also peacemakers on a more personal level – those who take people caught up in disagreements and bring them back together again. This is highly valued.
Sadly, there are some people in this life who have learned how to become rich and powerful by dividing people and getting them to hate each other. They deliberately stir up strife because it enriches them and they can use it to their advantage. But God hates this. Those who cause strife may become rich, but God is against them and will judge them for it. Those who are peacemakers, however, will be called the children of God.