|
“Blessed
are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God."
~ Matthew 5:9
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Peacemakers
Violence
confuses us. We fear it and we embrace it. It horrifies us and it
entertains us. On the one hand, the thought of a violent home invasion
scares the daylights out of us. On the other hand, we spend lots of
money on entertainment systems and video games that turn violence into
fun. We hate the idea of a physical beating but we’ll watch as others
kick, punch, and beat each other in a ring—strangely thinking that the
ring somehow justifies or sanitizes the brutality.
The
bloodlust of our culture has never been higher. Listen to the violent
language. Watch the violent images. Experience the aggression on the
roads and the fierceness in the stadiums.
And
in such an environment, peacemakers—or even peacetalkers—are persona
non grata. Nobody likes them. They’re soft. They’re weak. They’re
out of touch. Theodore Roosevelt’s old foreign policy of “speak softly
but carry a big stick” has become a common personal mantra. We’re
willing to talk for a while (perhaps) but always ready to fight when
provoked.
Everyone
knows that peacemaking is for fools and idealists.
Everyone
except Jesus.
When
Jesus honors peacemakers (for they shall be called sons of God) He
calls all of His followers to turn peacemaking into a life pursuit.
The
challenge, of course, is simply this: Can we be peacemakers while we
share the passion for violence that pervades our culture? This advent
season calls us to grapple seriously with this question.
The
Son of God came into a violent world, without violence. He confronted
the established order not with swords and weapons but with words. He
came not with bloodlust but a willingness for limited bloodshed—just
His own.
Contrary
to some distorted views, the “cleansing of the Temple” does not justify
everything from berating abortionists to shooting Islamists.
The
ancient prophet Isaiah described the promised Christ as “Mighty God,
Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.” (Isaiah 9:6) Perhaps as we
celebrate His coming we’ll consider our Christmas gifts (and our
values) with a fresh thoughtfulness … something befitting sons of God.
In
HOPE –
David
|
