Finding Peace

Matthew 5:9 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.

      We cannot give what we do not possess. I would love to give you all a million dollars the only problem is that I don’t have a million dollars. Those good wishes don’t better you at all. Peace is like that. Until we find peace in our own hearts and lives we cannot be Peacemakers.

      Jesus told us that we cannot have both salt water and fresh water flowing from the same well. The pure water will be contaminated by the salt and while not as pungent as the original salty water it will become salt water. Today there are many that try to teach or counsel others how to live at peace when they cannot live that way themselves. They are always finding fault, picking a fight, throwing condemnation at those that live around them. It is not enough to know the words to speak we must learn them by practical living.

      The old adage “practice what you preach” doesn’t mean we should try to do what we have told others but rather our preaching should flow from the actions that we have already put into practice. We should be able to say “I know it works because I have tried it successfully”. Reading a book or listening to a sermon on being a Peacemaker doesn’t make me a Peacemaker. Making peace with others and living in that peace makes me a Peacemaker. Standing in a garage and declaring “I’m a car.” doesn’t make me car. Sitting in church and crying out “I’m a Christian.” doesn’t make me a Christian. We must take action! James puts it this way, “Faith without works is dead.”

     It is not easy to swallow our pride and approach those that have wronged us to make reconciliation. We risk being rejected. Our pride tells us to run the other direction. We can be very good at making excuses. We must fight the good fight. We must rise to the call and make peace with those that have ought against us.

      Jesus thought this was so important that He commanded us that when we come to the altar to make an offering, if we remember someone that has ought against us, we must go and make it right first, then we can return and give our offering. What He is saying is that making peace with our brother is more important than worship, more important than sacrifice. Imagine the value that God puts on this way of life.

If God values the Peacemaker so much, we might do well to pursue peace – today.