The Peacemakers

When you are watching or reading about a story, in the reading, there is laid out for you the heroes and the villains.  In fact, we see ourselves as the heroes of our own lives.  Our family and friends are the secondary characters and those that oppose us or make us angry are quickly cast as the villain.  I learned about this when I was teaching and in talking to a student I understood that he saw not just me, but all teachers as the villains in his life.  In fact, all adults were labeled untrustworthy and he lived a type of Peter Pan idealogy where only peers and children could be trusted.  I could see how he got to that conclusion.  It made me think about how I should see people in my own life. It is easier to see how hurt people hurt people and continue to hurt people instead of making them a villain.  Perspective  changes so much how we see things.  

There are wars waging in this world.  I think that it is clear that we are trying to root for the "good guys."  And there is this paradoxical idea where we must fight for peace.  Well... maybe not me but people must and should fight for peace.  To not fight is to not have peace.  

What does the Bible say of this?  It says, "Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called sons of God."  Matthew 5:9.  This is a verse that is part of a set of other verses called the Beatitudes.  This is part of Jesus' Sermon on the Mount.  Here he calls blessed a bunch of people that don't seem like they should be blessed, or in the least, it begs to ask how, how are people to be blessed.  I have been marinating  on this verse.  Just this verse since I heard about the conflict in the Ukraine.  Why?  Why is there a need to acquire more land and more power?  Who does this war benefit?  I am being dense on purpose, I know I am but in the grand scheme of things, it doesn't really make sense to me.  And it would seem in this scenario that Ukraine, with a former comedian as a leader, are the peacemakers.  

So... how are they called sons of God?  Are they in fact, sons of God?  I don't know.  But they will be called sons of God regardless.  I think it implies that they are on the side of God which would be the side of good whether or not they are sons of God.  I'm sure that some or all could be sons of God.  I think this is the question.  I think being called a son of God refers more to how they are viewed, or their reputation.  I pray that they continue to fight for the cause of peace.  I pray that they honor the side of good and that they in fact will be remembered by history as peacemakers.  And may God give them victory in their endeavors.  God who knows the hearts of men and the answers to all of the whys.  I pray for peace with them.  May God hear our prayers.  Praise the Lord!