Jesus in the Beatitudes says, “Blessed at the peace-makers for they will be called children of God” (Matt. 5:9). When Jesus says this he is turning your world and mine upside down.
Most people are peace-keepers and not peace-makers. In our families we strive to keep the peace at all costs. “Don’t rock the boat. Grin and bear it. There is an elephant in the living room, but let’s not talk about him.” Most of us would rather walk on egg shells.
We grow spiritually when we are peace-makers, not peace-keepers….when we sit down with our family or another person and discuss what needs to be discussed. We need to listen and hear what the other person is saying and what God is saying to me through the other person or through my family.
It is important to sit down with an open mind and heart and not with the armor of defensiveness.
Being a peace-keeper eventually leads to a climate of anger and hostility. Walls become so thick that words like, “You always” and “You never” are tossed back and forth at one another. This is why we are called to be peace-makers early on in relationships both at home and other places as well.
“Blessed are the Peace-Makers”
