THE BEATITUDES (13) The Peacemakers (2)

The Peacemakers (2)

Thirdly, to become a peacemaker, you should not seek your own benefit, but that of others.

In Genesis 13, there were some quarrels among the shepherds of Abraham and shepherds of Lot while they were staying together. Lot received blessings while he was staying with Abraham. They had many cattle since Abraham was loved by God. But, their shepherds had quarrels due to the lack of water for their cattle. Now, they could not stay together any longer. They had to decide who would take what land.

Abraham was the uncle, and Lot received blessings because of Abraham, so obviously, the right to choose first belonged to Abraham. But Abraham did not insist on his right but gave his nephew, Lot, the right to choose first. Genesis 13:9 says, “Is not the whole land before you? Please separate from me; if to the left, then I will go to the right; or if to the right, then I will go to the left.”

 Lot took the land in east that had enough water and was fertile. Then, was Abraham offended since Lot took the better side? Did he complain saying, “If I offered him to choose first, he is my junior so, he should have asked me to choose first?” If he had only acted outwardly, and had not thrown away his desire to seek his own benefit, Abraham would not have had true peace.

But Abraham wanted his nephew to take the better land from the depth of his heart, so he had peace with Lot. He later received even greater blessings from God. If you have this kind of heart, as Matthew 5:39-41 says, if someone strikes you on the right cheek, you can turn to him the other also. And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, you can let him have your cloak as well. If someone forces you to go one mile, you can go with him two miles. Also, as Matthew 5:44 says, you can love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so you will become a son of God.

Did you pray for blessings to come to those who persecute you, give you hard times, and slander you with false rumors? Did you embrace them with love without hatred? How did you act? Did you have the attitude, “I don’t want to see him!” or did you think, “How is it that he is so affable!” Did you embrace that kind of person and pray for him? Our Lord prayed to God to forgive those who were crucifying Him.

We can have peace only when we love even our enemies from the depth of our heart and seek their benefit.

4) Fourthly, to become the peacemaker, we have to deny ourselves and become wheat that decays for other people.

People have different levels of faith, different self-righteousness, and thoughts. Their characters, education, the circumstances in which they were raised, and their habits are different, so their thoughts and preferences are different.

Everybody has different standards, and if each one insists on what he likes, we cannot have peace. Even if you are right, you should be able to sacrifice yourself for other people, bearing discomfort if necessary.

For example, one person likes things to be clean and neat while his roommate does not like to clean and keep things orderly. It is obviously proper for the messy one to correct his habits and put things in order. Now, because one does not like the other dirtying things, he might try to make the roommate change, and if he does not change quickly enough, frustrations are expressed and feelings may be hurt.

Even though the messy roommate knows that he did wrong, his feelings are hurt. Thus, there is a clashing between the two. They feel uncomfortable staying with each other.

Surely, it is right to stay clean in God’s sight, but if you have discomfort or hurt the other’s feelings only because the other person is not clean enough, it is not right in God’s sight either. If it is too dirty, it is better for you to clean it for the other person, and bear with him until he changes. Have peace with him. Of course, to cover someone else’s mistake just to have peace with him or to ignore what he is doing is quite different. But also, in order to have peace, you should not go against the principles of truth by just leaving the other person or following along with him as he is going to the way of death.

You should have peace with everybody, but only within the truth. Namely, you should first have peace with God rather than man. If you try to have peace with men acting in untruth, you break the peace with God. Having peace by going against the principles of God’s truth is not to enjoy spiritual blessings, but to compromise with the world and commit sins.

Genesis 17:1 says, “Now when Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to Abram and said to him, ‘I am God Almighty; Walk before Me, and be blameless.’” As said, God wants His children to resemble the characteristics of Jesus, become completely sanctified, and act perfectly.

God made the tree of the knowledge of good and evil and has been cultivating us up until this day to gain true sons and daughters resembling His Son. When He gains one perfect child, He loves that child so much. He will walk with him or her, and when he or she enters the heavenly kingdom, God will share love with that child forever in New Jerusalem.

I told you about the peacemaker. When you become a peacemaker, you will be recognized as a perfect child who resembles God and who is right in God’s sight.

In old days, the crown prince had such a great honor. Then, how honorable and blessed if you can be recognized as true son of almighty God the Creator who is right in His sight!

God the Father, who is full of love, will be so delighted to see you and He will answer you even if you just have something on your mind. Even though you do not try to lift yourself up, God Himself lifts you up in front of everybody and proves that you are His beloved son, so even the heavenly host and angels will respect you and serve you.

I hope you will resemble the heart of the Lord who loved even the enemies and have peace with everybody. I pray in the name of the Lord that you will be recognized as true son of God, enjoy honor and authority, and dwell in New Jerusalem, where there is God’s throne.