Blessed Are the Peacemakers—Reflection on Matthew 5:9
Matthew 5:9
"Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God."
Reflection
This is the Lord Jesus’ teaching to us Christians. We should be peacemakers. In the Bible Abram and Lot went up out of Egypt into the south. There was a strife for land between Abram’s herdsmen and Lot’s herdsmen. But Abram said to Lot, “Let there be no strife, I pray you, between me and you, and between my herdsmen and your herdsmen; for we be brothers. Is not the whole land before you? separate yourself, I pray you, from me: if you will take the left hand, then I will go to the right; or if you depart to the right hand, then I will go to the left.” Abram didn’t quarrel with Lot, yet God bestowed more land to Abram. In addition, when his son Isaac dwelled in Gerar, Isaac received a hundred times what he sowed because of God’s blessings. And he had flocks, herds and great store of servants. The Philistines envied Isaac and asked him to move away. In order to get along harmoniously with them, Isaac left secretly. While Isaac’s servants dug out the wells of fresh water several times, the herdsmen of Gerar strove for those. However, Isaac never quarreled with the herdsmen of Gerar, so they didn’t strove any more, in addition, since Isaac lived in harmony with people, showed restraint to others again and again and never argued with others, God bestowed him more blessings. Even the king of the Philistines went to see Isaac personally and made a covenant with him. Isaac feasted the king and treated his enemy who repelled him, with love. From this we can see, blessed are those who are able to make others live in harmony. They not only have peace and joy in their hearts but also be blessed and cared for by God. So we should learn to get along with others in our life.