Daily Devotional for February 1, 2014

Matthew 5:9
“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

Daily Devotional for August 2, 2013

Matthew 5:9
“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.
 
Recently, a friend of mine “liked” an editorial comment on Facebook that was written by a young woman who clearly has absolutely zero regard for anyone who accepts government assistance… particularly Food Stamps.  In my opinion, this young woman painted every person who accepts this type of help with a very broad brush, and I felt her comments and “solutions” to what she viewed as “our country’s problem” were harsh and unkind in most cases.  However, I did not comment to this post.  To do so would have only opened up the door for a huge argument… and honestly, it just was not worth the trouble.  I would not change the minds of those who “liked” this post… and I would only have created animosity between myself and my friend, who is not a bad person. We just happen to share different views on this subject.
 
Thankfully, we live in a country where free speech is our right and privilege.  But the temptation is often there to jump in and comment… to write a letter to the editor and publicly berate someone for their ideas and opinions… or to lambast them on social media or in person.  The worst of it is when “Christians” sink to the level of name calling.  I see this often on Facebook and other social media outlets, and it disheartens me.  Again, these are not bad people.  But I will never understand why they think that mockery and deriding others is acceptable to anyone… much less to God.
 
I know that it’s a slippery slope to ignore such comments and actions.  Will others assume we agree with these people and their rants?  Will our silence be an endorsement of sorts?  We have to carefully weigh our options.  Would it be better to keep silent and risk the assumption that we feel the same way… or to comment and open “Pandora’s box” – and perhaps subject ourselves to ridicule and derision?  Is it worth hurting another person’s feelings or damaging a friendship?  I think we have to prayerfully consider all avenues… react and respond in the manner that we feel God is leading us…and then stand by our decision.
 
When I feel strongly about something I see posted on Facebook, I will sometimes privately message the person who made the post and outline my feelings or opinions. On at least one occasion, I quietly “unfriended” a few people, rather than continue the association and have to be confronted with their insulting posts each day.  This, too, can have mixed results.  In one case, a former student realized we were no longer “friends”, and when I tried to gently diffuse the situation, she accused me of lying to her.  I apologized for anything I might have said or done to make her feel I was being deceitful in any way, but she would have none of it.  Now she no longer speaks to me or acknowledges me at all.  That is okay …I still love her. I think at the core, she knows that some of the things she was saying were wrong and inappropriate.  Rather than deal with that, she chose to turn the tide and be mad at me.  Truthfully, we are so far apart politically that she was probably looking for a reason to disassociate.  Nobody ever said being a Christian – or trying to keep the peace – was easy!
 
So what do we do?  How do we become “peacemakers in God’s army”?

• I believe we start with prayer.  We ask God to “slow us and show us”… to give us the patience to stop and prayerfully consider our response… and then to act on the wisdom that God grants us.
• If you simply must write a letter to the editor, park it on your desktop and let it simmer for a few days before you send it.  See if you still feel the same way in retrospect.  Write out your thoughts and feelings before sharing them with someone else… let some time pass.  You don’t have to respond immediately.  Ask God to help you choose your words thoughtfully and carefully.
• Avoid knee-jerk reactions of any kind… even “unfriending” people on social media. Think before you hit that “like” button… or before you share any comments, photos or cartoons.
• Stand up for what is right when God leads you to do so… but be prepared to deal with the fallout.  Trust God to give you strength and courage to do the right thing…whichever direction He sends you!
• Remember that God loves the other guy just as much as He loves you and me.  Think about how precious that person is to Him before you start slinging mud and placing labels.  At every turn, lead with love, grace, mercy, compassion and forgiveness… you know, all those things Jesus gives to you on a daily basis!

Understand that we are all part of God’s family… and families disagree from time to time.  But God wants us to get along… to listen to Him and figure out how to live as peacefully as possible.  His desire is that we find ways to grow together... and avoid the things that tear us apart.  Nothing makes Satan happier than to create discord of any kind among God’s people.  Will you give him that satisfaction?  Instead, won’t you concentrate your efforts on hearing from God and keeping the peace?  Have you found your peaceful place in God’s family?

©2013 Debbie Robus