Today’s verse is from Matthew 5:9 and says:
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God.
Peacemaking is a messy business which doesn’t sound logical on the surface because it includes the word “peace”. But being a peacemaker means that you intentionally place yourself in unpeaceful situations. Here are a few synonyms for unpeaceful: chaotic, turbulent, unruly, and violent. Putting ourselves in that type of environment takes courage and strength.
Speaking of courage, today’s lesson was inspired by Nelson Mandela who said “Peace is not just the absence of conflict; peace is the creation of an environment where all can flourish……”
Don’t worry – I’m not going to challenge you to earn a Nobel Peace Prize like Nelson Mandella. My challenge to you today is simply to work on bringing peace to your own family and your own home. Ask how you can work on creating an environment where everyone in your house can flourish – not just survive but flourish!
What that looks like will be different for each one of us and I’m sure there are obstacles for many who are hearing or reading this, but you can only control what YOU can control. What can YOU personally do today?
Do you have kids who are anxious about the state of unrest in our world? If so, take some time to talk about it with them and let them know it is going to be ok because God has a plan to prosper us (Jeremiah 29:11).
Is your wife supremely confident about the strength of your marriage? If not, do something about that. And don’t pretend like you don’t know what YOU can at least try to do. The answer might not be fun or easy but you know the answer. She may not respond in the way you would like but, again, what can YOU personally do to at least try to be a peacemaker?
And don’t forget about yourself. Are you at peace? If not, focus on your own peace first, just like the flight attendant instructs us to put our own oxygen masks on first before helping others with their masks. Only when you are at peace will you be an effective peacemaker.
Every journey starts with a step so, today, just start small and do what you can to create some peace in your own home today.
Questions:
- Why do you think Jesus highlighted peace as a top priority? Could it be the same reason we don’t want our own kids to bicker and fight?
- On a scale of 1-10 with 10 being most at-peace, how peaceful are you personally right now?
- What are some things you can do to bring more peace to your own life?
- What is one situation you personally can work on right now to try to be a peacemaker, no matter how small it might seem to you?
- Should our response to the state of unrest in our world today be negative or positive? In other words, should we be demoralized or see it as an opportunity to hit a home-run in the World Series?
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