Peacemaking

  Matthew 5:9 CSBA


  Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.  




This is a very timely verse for me as I seek to defuse a conflict I'm in. The devil would tempt me to retaliate. Jesus calls me to take the hurt and to leave it at the foot of the cross.


Our gut reaction when someone hurts us is to hurt them back. Then we'd be as bad as them. The Jesus way is to forgive and to seek to move on.


If the other person isn't willing to move on, it's probably best to make a tactical retreat. I know avoidance isn't really actively making peace. Sometimes though it is a way of regrouping and planning a more peaceful response out of the heat of anger.


As my daughters were play fighting yesterday, I reflected that it's much easier to start a conflict than it is to end one. Yet whoever initiated conflict, we should be the ones to initiate peace. As Trump has discovered with Iran, peacemaking is easier said than done.


'Dear Father God, we praise you for making peace with us through the blood of Jesus. Please help us to make peace with others, for we ask in his powerful name, amen'.

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