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Blessed Are The Peacemakers
Brian Mashburn
July 24, 2011
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Peacemakers
Jesus said, "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God."
He didn't say, "Blessed are the peaceful." Now, being peaceful is a blessing, to be sure. And I think a prerequisite to being a peace-maker. But Jesus isn't talking about the peace-full here.
He didn't say, "Blessed are the peace-lovers." I'm an admitted idealist, and I certainly count myself as one who loves the idea of peace. And certainly, one must love the idea of peace to engage in the work of peace-making. But Jesus isn't talking about the peace-loving here.
And he didn't say, "Blessed are the peace-keepers." And this is an important point, because there are many who go about "keeping peace" that actually succeeds in letting troubles remain untouched.
No, Jesus is talking about peace-makers. He is talking about people of action - folks who are on a mission. He's saying that there are people, like him, who will not evade issues, but face, deal with, and overcome issues, for the sake of making peace, even if the path goes through trouble.
And these people, according to Jesus, wear a prestigious title: Children of God.