Preschool
I will arise and go to my father. Luke 15:18
Blessed Are the Peacemakers
Memory Verses
Primary
I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee. Luke 15:18
Junior
I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee. Luke 15:18
Background Scripture: Genesis 13–21
Lesson Scripture: Genesis 13:7–9; 21:22–33
Introduction
Jesus said, “Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God” (Matt. 5:9). As we strive to follow Christ’s teachings, we bear the greatest witness to others when we have a peaceable spirit. A humble, peaceable spirit honors and glorifies God. “My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth” (1 John 3:18).
Let us examine our hearts and prove our actions to see whether we are truly reflecting God’s love and forgiveness. To be a peacemaker and follow the example of our Savior is the sign of a true Christian in a world that fights for its rights and demands justice.
Key Verse
Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord (Heb. 12:14).
Lesson Scripture
Genesis 13:7 And there was a strife between the herdmen of Abram’s cattle and the herdmen of Lot’s cattle: and the Canaanite and the Perizzite dwelled then in the land.
8 And Abram said unto Lot, Let there be no strife, I pray thee, between me and thee, and between my herdmen and thy herdmen; for we be brethren.
9 Is not the whole land before thee? separate thyself, I pray thee, from me: if thou wilt take the left hand, then I will go to the right; or if thou depart to the right hand, then I will go to the left.
21:22 And it came to pass at that time, that Abimelech and Phichol the chief captain of his host spake unto Abraham, saying, God is with thee in all that thou doest:
23 Now therefore swear unto me here by God that thou wilt not deal falsely with me, nor with my son, nor with my son’s son: but according to the kindness that I have done unto thee, thou shalt do unto me, and to the land wherein thou hast sojourned.
24 And Abraham said, I will swear.
25 And Abraham reproved Abimelech because of a well of water, which Abimelech’s servants had violently taken away.
26 And Abimelech said, I wot not who hath done this thing: neither didst thou tell me, neither yet heard I of it, but to day.
27 And Abraham took sheep and oxen, and gave them unto Abimelech; and both of them made a covenant.
28 And Abraham set seven ewe lambs of the flock by themselves.
29 And Abimelech said unto Abraham, What mean these seven ewe lambs which thou hast set by themselves?
30 And he said, For these seven ewe lambs shalt thou take of my hand, that they may be a witness unto me, that I have digged this well.
31 Wherefore he called that place Beer-sheba; because there they sware both of them.
32 Thus they made a covenant at Beersheba: then Abimelech rose up, and Phichol the chief captain of his host, and they returned into the land of the Philistines.
33 And Abraham planted a grove in Beer-sheba, and called there on the name of the Lord, the everlasting God.
Studying the Lesson
Abram left Ur, his home country, at God’s command and journeyed to Canaan, a land unknown to him. God promised Canaan to Abram and his descendants as a place where they would be safe and could be separate from the surrounding heathen nations.
Evidently Abram’s nephew Lot was also interested in pioneering this new territory that his uncle intended to settle. It appears that Lot did not carry the same conviction as Abram—that God would keep him in His providential care. Given the opportunity to separate their families and herds and choose where to live, Lot chose the better land for himself. Abram surely considered his choice as well, yet he was content in God’s promises rather than anxious for temporal advantages.
Later Abram (now named Abraham, meaning “father of nations”) was called upon to settle a disagreement between his herdsmen and Abimelech’s herdsmen over a well that rightfully belonged to Abraham. He graciously presented the truth of his ownership and gave a generous gift as a witness of their coming together in agreement.
Abraham wisely set boundaries and borders so they would be understood and in place for years to come. Abraham’s peaceable way of handling the situation defused what could have become a point of disagreement or continual contention; rather, he formed a friendship for years to come.
Practical Truths for Today
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus taught that when someone strikes your cheek, you should turn your other cheek to him as well. If you are sued for your coat, you should give your cloak too. Jesus told us to love our enemies, to do good to those who hate us, and to pray for those who misuse us. It seems beyond the capacity of mortal man to make peace in the face of deliberate unjust treatment. However, let us live our lives close to God, so that in times of testing He can inspire us to say and do the things that make for peace. The power to return good for evil comes from our resurrected Lord.
Someone once said, “Life is not fair, yet God is good.” We should consider how to serve the Lord joyfully and be at peace with Him regardless of life’s circumstances. God’s peace in our hearts will affect our attitude toward others and inspire us to be peacemakers; His peace will flow through us to others. We can be strong in the Lord and help carry someone’s load. We can speak the gracious word that lifts someone’s burden. We can show the world that a nonresistant attitude and being a peacemaker changes our heart and affects our whole life. It means much more than not voting, serving on a jury, or going to war.
When we serve God with joy, we humbly face the challenges of life, allowing Him to mediate difficult situations by giving us gracious words to say and kind deeds to do. Sometimes even gentle humor can brighten a situation that seems bleak and soften someone who is unyielding. It is God’s will that we live peacefully with our spouse, our children, our neighbors, friends, and brothers and sisters in the faith. It will be difficult to be a peacemaker if we hold doggedly to our opinions or cling to our own way of doing things. Those who find it hard to apologize and admit wrongdoing create stress for their fellowmen.
We have often been helped by the gracious words of others when our own heart is in turmoil. Such kindness warms our heart, causing us to appreciate their consideration. To show love and respect, even in difficult circumstances, is what it means to be a peacemaker.
Forgiveness is part of peacemaking, but is foreign to the carnal mind. A religious community in North America was targeted by a lone gunman who came into a church and killed several people, including a child. This community responded in love and forgiveness, praying for this angry man. The nation took note of the character of this family who extended forgiveness and love to the murderer rather than calling for the full extent of justice. Only God’s work in the heart can enable us to be that kind of witness. Jesus willingly took malicious mocking and cruel beating and finally died on the cross to pay for the sins of all people, even His tormentors. “Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34).
Though there will be times to stand our ground and not compromise the truth, peacemaking sometimes requires us to surrender what we believe to be true and want to defend. There are times that to state our conviction or push our point will only make things worse and possibly close our door to resolve a difficult situation. Under some conditions, God may have us gently state our point, and then let Him work things out in His own way and time. Some brethren were discussing whether to attend a place of entertainment when one of them humbly said that, even though the others would go, he would have to refrain. His defense of the truth in a peaceable way touched the other’s hearts. Soon the rest of the group agreed that they were also uncomfortable going. As we pray in these circumstances and entreat God’s will, He will prompt us with what to do. In some situations, our muted show of love will speak louder than our words.
The love of God in our heart is what makes us a peacemaker. Love covers a multitude of sins. Love bears all things, endures all things, and gives others the benefit of the doubt. Love is kind and forgiving. May God fill our hearts with love so that we can be the peacemakers that He has called us to be.
Questions
- How should we respond when someone treats us unfairly?
- Where does arguing with each other fit into family dynamics?
- What does it mean to turn the other cheek?
- Should we get involved and try to negotiate peace when there is a disagreement between other people?
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Source: COGICM Daily Bible Readings (Daily Bible Readings, PO Box 124, Glenn, CA 95943).