In Jesus’ first public message, He says “Blessed are the peacemakers.” From our Scripture reading today, we see several things that are required to make one a peacemaker.
First, there must be more of a desire for peace than a desire to have your way (verse 9).
Secondly, a peacemaker is not afraid to fight (see Genesis 14). They simply pick and choose their battles very carefully.
Thirdly, they defuse the situation by using a soft voice (verse 8).
Fourthly, they are humble. Abraham, being the leader, was humble and gave up his right to possess any land he so desired. A peacemaker must be humble.
Reminds me of a story of two men who met on a narrow mountain road, one going north and the other going south. To fight was not an option. They could both tumble off the side of the mountain to their death. To back up is not an option, too many miles to re-walk. So one lay down and let the other step over him; and they both went on their way.
The moral of the story is two-fold. First, if two people fight over an issue, both are going to be seen as wrong…and they are!! Secondly, if one backs up he is seen as compromising. The only answer is humble yourself and lay down. Remember, blessed are the peacemakers for they are the ones whose Christianity really shows.
Dr. Mike Rouse
What to do:
✞Be a peacemaker or you’ll be known as a troublemaker.
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