06/11/2019
One thing we can all agree on is that division within our society is on the rise. We have found so many lines to divide ourselves on and yet the cry for tolerance and acceptance has never been louder.
So where does the Gospel fit in with such a hostile environment all around us? How do we relate to people around us when they seem to be more sensitive and defensive than ever?
In Matthew 5:9, Jesus starts off his most famous sermon on the mount by telling a crowd of people that “God blesses those who work for peace….” Not those who feed the fires of division, but those who work for peace.
These are timely words for us today. According to Jesus, the best way to stand out in a society of division and hostility is to “work for peace.” We are called, as followers of Jesus, to find ways to calm the storm and bridge the divide with love and kindness, not widen the divide. It’s easy to get caught up in the storm of ‘standing for what’s right,’ but when we do that, we have to ask ourselves if we’re really bringing the type of message Jesus came to bring. His message will always bring division, but the division He brought was between those willing to live sacrificially and those not. Those willing to lay down their lives to become servants and those who are not.
Let’s be people whose lives are marked by how we live and treat others, not by which side of the arguments we stand on. Let’s work for peace, not division.
Like if you agree.
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