Peacemaker part 1
Have you heard the phrase, "Keep your words soft and sweet, because you might have to eat them"? I think about that a lot. Not because I'm afraid of what I say coming back to bite me, but because I'm a pretty quiet guy. So if I AM going to say something, I want it to be edifying. Or, at the very least, funny. Helping or hurting, right? So I was thinking about what we say, and how we say it, and what we do... and I was thinking about Matthew 5:39, "But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also." And I was thinking about Matthew 5:9, "Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God." Basically, I was thinking about being gentle. Because a lot of the time it seems like we push people. And I'm not talking about stretching people. You can't grow unless you stretch past your comfort level. I'm talking about trying to get what we want from people. Its about all I see every day. Everybody trying to protect what they've got and also get more, more, more. Very rarely do I see the kind of selfless giving that IS love. And here's the thing: When you push someone, one of two things will happen. 1. They will push back. 2. They will fall over. Fight or flight, right? And neither one is a particularly good outcome. Helping or hurting. Helping yourself by hurting someone else? I don't think so. Helping yourself by helping others is how you truly help. Anyway, it occured to me that Matthew 5:39 is reactionary. What to do when someone pushes us. And that's great. We need to know what to do. Because, like I said, its about all I see everywhere I look. Hurt people hurting people. And if someone pushes you and you push back, you're just escalating the problem. An eye leaves everybody blind, right? But then I was thinking about Matthew 5:9, and how being a peacemaker doesn't have to be reactionary. We can get out in front of things AS the Son(s) of God. What's that old saying? Let prayer be first choice not last chance. Well, ditto for love. Love should be our go-to. And love doesn't demand its (HIS) own way. Love is gentle, and kind, and soft. A word in season, right? And the Word of God is the Word of Love. I've found that when it comes to arguing--which for the most part I plain straight will not do--its better to have the right Word than the last word. Its better to be kind than to prove someone wrong. I know we're taught that we have to be strong all of the time. I know we're taught that asking for help is a sign of weakness. But I believe asking for help is a sign of wisdom. I believe there is strength in vulnerability. If you can open up to someone and be real, that's when you can make a real connection. And if you can make a real connection with someone, that's when you can bring peace to someone. See, peacemakers don't necessarily need to get in the middle of two people who are at odds. Because sometimes we are at odds with ourselves. Sometimes we need someone to love us so that we can have a little bit of inner peace. And when that inner peace spreads, it will BECOME outer peace. What's inside WILL come out, when you know and believe its in there. So be gentle. Be kind. Love people first and foremost. Be a peacemaker, and people will KNOW that you are the Son of God!