Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called children of God.
Matthew 5:9 NIV
Peacemakers
According to the NATO Association of Canada website “In recent years, Canada has been an active participant in NATO: in the war in Afghanistan, the air strikes on Libya and the deployment of a troop contingent to Ukraine. While Canada has stepped up its involvement in NATO-led missions, it has reduced its commitment to UN operations. In fact, by 2008, Canada ranked 51st in terms of the personnel contribution it provided to the UN peacekeeping force, while its financial contribution to UN peacekeeping operations dropped from $94 million to $15 million. Today, Canada’s involvement in Peacekeeping continues to be minimal.”
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I saw a young woman the other day wearing a t-shirt with a message that said “Just a masterpiece trying to master peace.” I have no idea if that young woman, who was celebrating the completion of her doctorate, is a follower of Jesus, but that message is a Biblical one. Ephesians 2:10 tells us that we are God’s masterpiece and in Matthew 5:9 Jesus taught his followers, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.” We live in a world of conflict. Sometimes the conflict is on a macro scale – we can’t check out the news these days without a report on wars being fought between or within nations. Sometimes the conflict is being played out on social media in angry, vitriolic and foul words. More often, it is inner conflict, fought within our hearts as we fail to live up to God’s standards, or even our own. Those of us who have experienced the peace that Jesus has brought to our hearts and minds as He has lifted our sin are called to bring the Master’s peace to our needy world.
These have been words from the heart.
Bob Beasley