“You’re blessed when you can show people how to cooperate instead of compete or fight. That’s when you discover who you really are, and your place in God’s family.”
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
Go to any organized sporting event, and you will see coaches, players and fans who conduct themselves with poise…who never seem to get frustrated or lose their temper...who enjoy the game and their “role” in it with dignity and decorum. They don’t overreact to “bad” calls or poor plays. They let the event unfold and revel in their participation…whatever it may be. Still others rant and rave and “show out” – and sometimes cause a scene. Honestly, there have been nights lately when I told Greg that the opposing high school basketball teams’ coaches were more entertaining than the game itself! You have to wonder who these people really are off the court. What sort of student/teacher/parent are they? How do they treat others when no winning score or title is on the line?
You are probably familiar with this scripture passage as part of a group of verses from Matthew known as “The Beatitudes”. In many familiar translations of the Bible, Matthew 5:9 begins… “Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.” In his book The Sermon on the Mount*, author Emmet Fox suggests that the “peacemakers” Jesus refers to in this scripture are actually “those who make or bring about this true peace, or serenity, in their own souls, for it is they who surmount limitation and become actually, and not merely potentially, the children of God.”
Fox maintains that each time we offer a prayer, we return to our true communion with God. As we pray, our character is changed, and we begin to get a more real awareness of the presence of God. He further suggests that it is hard to be a “peacemaker” in the usual sense of the word, because we often interject our own opinions and/or make things worse. Frequently, what we create is more a “compromise” than true peace and resolution. But…Fox contends that once we discover the true power of prayer, we can really heal quarrels and make a difference…often without saying a word! How is this possible? Fox says it is because we allow the power of God to penetrate hearts, change minds, invoke wisdom and love, and create true forgiveness and understanding.
Think about it. Consider those you know who seem to have a calming, loving presence. Think of the coaches, players, and fans who seem to be on an even keel pretty much all of the time…win or lose. Contrast them with those who are “high-strung” and always up for a fight or a conflict of some sort…the coaches and parents who burst from their seat and yell at the referees or players…and the players who seem ready to challenge every call or pick a fight with their opponent. Which ones strike you as having more peace and serenity in their heart?
This is not a judgment. I am not suggesting that an excitable, unruly coach, parent, fan or player does not have true communion with God. But it would seem logical that the two cannot fully co-exist. When our head and heart are full of conflict and confrontation…or we are “carrying a chip on our shoulder” about something… it seems like there would be very little room left for the serenity of God.
So what can we do? How can we become more “peaceful”? I think Fox has given us the perfect starting point - prayer. He admits that we will not achieve complete serenity overnight…or even with our first conversations with God. Ours is a relationship that must be cultivated over several dialog exchanges. The more we pray, the more the presence of God will permeate our heart and soul…and the more peaceful and serene we will become. Those who achieve this level of contentment and confidence in the power of God Almighty are the ones who can best offer His compassion, understanding, and peace of mind to others.
Don’t you want to be one of the “peacemakers”? Don’t you want to have that level of peace in your own heart and mind… and be able to convey this serenity to others – sometimes by your mere presence? Are you ready to reach the point where God’s power flowing in and through you is so commanding that you can bring about peaceful resolutions simply by your prayers and calming influence? Are you ready to fully operate as a child of God? Will this be the day you open the dialog and get started?
©2014 Debbie Robus
*The Sermon on the Mount: The Key to Success in Life ©1934,1935, 1938 by Emmet Fox ~HarperCollins Publishers, New York, NY
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