Peacemakers

Peacemaking is a lost art, I believe. In the post-Donahue/Jerry Springer world, confrontation is at a premium. It is a desired trait, with even Christians jumping on the bandwagon, their "Speak the Truth in Love" banner waving high. Debate and winning-at-all-cost have become priority, and right-fighters are in their hey-day, seeing peacemakers as weak and even non-spiritual.

One of my friends was truly a peacemaker at heart, and today she reaps the benefits that this particular quality is promised. I envy her, because I am a peace lover, but not necessarily a peace maker. I lack the creative, on-your-feet thinking that she has mastered (which is required in some spur of the moment circumstances).

On one occasion, there was a group of us sitting by the pool, when one of our group started discussing the inappropriateness of a certain bathing suit a teenager was wearing. I personally thought it was fairly decent, and had seen other bathing suits that were less appropriate for that particular environment. I jumped to her defense, and the conversation began to get a little tense. All of the sudden, my friend piped in.

"You know what I hate?" she began. "I hate it when I kneel at the altar to pray, and my thong underwear sticks up out of my skirt in front of the whole congregation."

Dead silence. Then complete laughter, because imagining this friend kneeling in front of the congregation with thong underwear exposed was a funny picture indeed. Of course that never happened, but she was able to, in that moment, combine the very things we were discussing, put them in a laughable picture, and in turn enabled us to see how small and insignificant this debate actually was. What a talent. In that split second, an argument was diverted, and we went on to enjoy the rest of the afternoon, and even relived that moment for additional laughs later in the day.

Peacemakers value relationships. They see the big picture and recognize when a silly argument or disagreement is in danger of fracturing a friendship or even ruining an otherwise perfect day. They have the ability to see people from God's point of view, and realize we are all a work in progress. As a result, they know where their priorities lie and act accordingly.

Blessed are the Peacemakers, for they shall be called "the Children of God."