Be a Peacemaker

 As I write this blog this morning, I'm sitting outside on our back porch on the first cool morning of the Fall. I've got a dog in my lap, there's a cat outside in the grass, and Chloe the umbrella cockatoo is on her favorite high perch enjoying the breeze, preening herself. A truck just drove by on the street outside and she shouted in her quacky Muppet voice “Hi Chloe!” I feel very happy this morning.

It's election day 2020, and there are people right now heading off to the polls to cash their vote for their favorite candidates. This is not a political rant, nor am I inviting the same as a response to this blog. This is a call for peace, for kindness, for calm, for love, for consideration for our fellow human being.

In his Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said many poignant things, but the one I want to focus on right now is Matthew 5:9. It reads "Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called the children of God.” Many people have wrongly deciphered this statement to call for pacifism. However, Jesus was not calling for pacifism, but for people to be reconciled to others. The verse does not say agree with one another in everything, nor does it say everyone have the same beliefs about life. The fact is that there are billions and billions of people on this earth and not one of us is exactly the same as the other in any way. Jesus was calling for peace between all people.


Photo by Loe Moshkovska from Pexels

Peace between all people is one of the tenets that we teach in our church. We have a variety of Heinz 57 folks who worship at Church of the Holy Spirit song. We have people who make lots of money and people with very little. We have people of all skin colors, of multiple cultures, of different sexes, of different sexual orientations, different ages, different worship styles, and different political likes and dislikes. How do we handle all those differences? We are kind to one another, we are compassionate with one another, we forgive one another as Christ forgave us (Ephesians 4:32). And we acknowledge that Jesus calls us to be one body, unified, working together as we worship our God.

As you go about your day today, remember to be a peacemaker. No matter how anyone treats you, be a peacemaker. Be like Christ in all that you do today. That's my goal for this day. Would you join me?


Comments

  1. More with LesNovember 20, 2020 at 12:04 PM

    Absolutely, I will join you .

    ReplyDelete
  2. Mike MarkcityDecember 27, 2020 at 5:13 PM

    Very well said.... and needed during these difficult times. I will join you as well.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Mike MarkcityDecember 27, 2020 at 5:13 PM

    Very well said.... and needed during these difficult times. I will join you as well.

    ReplyDelete

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