Blessed Are the Peacemakers

In summary of Matthew 5:9 it says, “You’re blessed when you can show people how to cooperate instead of compete or fight. That's when you discover who you really are, and your place in God's family.”

Bottom line:

You are blessed when you work for peace, this is how God want’s his people to be involved.

What this means to me:

God asks that I foster a spirit of cooperation instead of competing or fighting. My actions should be a model for others.  He asks that I help others in this way as well.  This is what God wants for me, as a member of his family.  So this means that when people disagree with me, God wants me to respond with integrity, humility, and civility.  Unfortunately, civility has become a counter culture value in our society. Some people are just not that polite to each other. They’re not civil with each other.  As Rick Warren says, “I’d like to see three things: the restoration of credibility in the Church, the restoration of responsibility in individual lives, and the restoration of civility in our culture so you can disagree without being disagreeable.”  These are crucial because Jesus said, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God.” Not the people who create conflict and division but the peacemakers, the bridge builders.  Jesus said in Matthew 5:9, “You’re blessed when you can show people how to cooperate instead of compete or fight” (MSG). To obtain God’s blessing on my life, so I need to learn how to be civil toward people. This is God’s intent for me. One of the most famous quotes of Jesus is found in Matthew 7:12: “In everything, do to others what you would have them do to you” (NIV). It’s called the Golden Rule. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Rick Warren defines that word as “civility.” Civility is just treating other people the way you’d like to be treated, even if you disagree with them — even if they’re flat-out, dead wrong. Even if they’re fighting against you, you treat them the way you would like to be treated. That’s civility.  In summary this means that I need to treat others the way I would want to be treated.  I need to be careful about my attitude and demeanor.  When possible I should encourage and foster cooperation.  When I do this God says he’ll provide me with blessings.  This also means that I need to get over any hurt feelings, wantings to retaliate that comes so naturally.