Blessed are the makers and maintainers of peace, for they shall be called the sons of God! Matthew 5:9
Confession: I’ve undervalued the Beatitudes for as long as I can remember knowing about them. The words all muddled together, sounding boring and somber and arduous and those are not the things I like my devotional time to be, you know? But as I’ve walked through a struggle-season of my own, the Beatitudes have begun to come alive because I’m realizing this one, amazing truth: Jesus pronounces His best blessings upon those in the worst condition. So I’m studying these rich words in every translation, from every direction and in the original language. I’m also pouring over the work of countless brilliant theologians to comb through the treasure-words found in Jesus’ longest sermon.
I’ve devoted this week to the Peacemaker verse and it’s been dismantling some things in me. One commentator says that the word ‘peace’ in English is like a line or a period. But in Hebrew, it’s a circle. “Biblical shalom conveys the picture of a circle; it means communal well-being in every direction and in every relation. The person in the center of the circle is related justly to every point on the circumference of the circle.” (Bruner, Christbook, p. 177)
When I read that, I grabbed by hot pink Flair felt tip and drew a large circle on a piece of paper, then I added an orange dot in the center: me. Around the circumference I scribbled the names of the things with which I desire to live in peace. Finances, friends, God, government, neighbors, work, health, sorrow, Steve, children. Next, I circled the things that feel less-than-shalom-like in my life and then I prayerfully listed some ways to make more peace with that person or situation. I say “prayerfully” because the fact that these things are circled is evidence of my inability to handle them on my own. My tendency is always to build a good plan or a lengthy list and then I feel better having done that…but I don’t always follow through on the action part of the list. One startling, stunning truth found in the Beatitudes in general is that God helps those who cannot help themselves – phew! (And also: watch for a Monday Mythbuster post on exactly that topic). So, I’m boldly and unapologetically asking for Holy Spirit help to close up this circle…to enable me to be a maker and maintainer of peace in every area in my life.
Why do the work of making peace? One big reason is because it sounds like a fabulous way to live. I’d love to live outside the dog-eat-dog, survival-of-the-fittest fray running rampant through our world. I’m not sure how to have the faith for peace in the middle east if I don’t even have the faith for peace in the middle of me. But bigger than that is the promise of Jesus Himself – “they will be called children of God.” I’d really love the summation of my life to be: she looked a lot like her Dad.
Blessings on your circle-making today,
Bo
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