Matthew 5:9, 10 – Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called the children of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Being a peacemaker is a wonderful attribute. Nobody likes a “pot-stirrer” who enjoys whipping up trouble by gossip or innuendo. Jesus tells us that those who seek peace are called children of God. A high word of encouragement from our Savior.
My ponderings this week have taken me beyond this first verse, however, and on to our final beatitude. The final beatitude talks about being persecuted for righteousness. To me, these two beatitudes can be completely intertwined.
I think of Martin Luther King who led peace marches for the civil rights movement, and encouraged peaceful protest with the bus boycotts. King didn’t sit back and accept the status quo, he fought for the righteous “rights” of all people. Persecution didn’t deter him from encouraging peaceful protest. Where would our civil rights movement be in this country without a Martin Luther King?
The same goes for now. A friend recently told me about being part of a conversation where an individual told an inappropriate joke about a racial minority. She didn’t politely laugh for the sake of keeping the peace. She pushed back against the racist undertones in the joke. It made for an awkward moment at a dinner party, but she held her ground.
Being a peacemaker doesn’t have to mean that we are mealy mouthed. And sometimes there is a stiff price to pay for standing up for what is right. Peaceful and protest can most definitely stand side by side!
Dear Lord, may we find the courage to stand our ground in the midst of so much division in our country right now. May we always be on the side of peace, but never at the price of what is right and just.
Blessings to all this week!
Diana
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