The Peacemakers

Peace with God is much easier attained than peace with men, all we can do is our best. God encourages us to live peaceably with all men as much as possible. IF two men can agree on the truth they can have peace between them. When men reject truth you cannot reason with them.
 
Matthew 5:9 Blessed are the peacemakers; they will be called the children of God.
 
A peacemaker is one who makes peace by reconciling parties that are at variance. I was raised to ignore problems and just waited for them to go away. This contributed to my “weak character.” Those who knew me had no confidence in me. No one could count on me because when things got precarious I bailed on them. I hated confrontation, it was easier to just let people believe what they wanted to. I did God this way too, I was afraid to admit to my sins because I dreaded my punishment.

Isaiah 43:25 I, even I, am He that blots out your sins for My sake, and will remember them no more.
 
God is the original peace maker. He wasn’t out to “get me” as I thought. He was wanting to have an intimate relationship with me. He just needed for me to be honest with Him and myself. The thing I dreaded the most became the best thing that ever happened to me. My Lord forgave me and gave me a new beginning. He made me a peacemaker. I no longer fear having to sit down with someone and confront them with the truth.
 
1 Corinthians 5:1 It is reported commonly that there is fornication in your church, you are permitting things even the gentiles abhor.
 
In the church at Corinth a man was openly engaged in sex with his father’s wife. The church leaders didn’t think it was all that bad. Perhaps they were afraid of the “fallout” from confronting this man! Maybe he was a board member or praise and worship leader or a faithful tither. These people were peace keepers not peacemakers. This appears to be the trend in many of our modern day churches. The leaders have a “live and let live” attitude. They don’t want to risk offending anyone. A peace keeper is a compromiser. They will do whatever it requires to keep a person in the pew.
 
Matthew 11:6 Blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in Me.
 
If a man is practicing a certain sin and God calls him out, this man may take offense. Who has the problem, God or the man? Jesus spoke the truth always and He offended everyone including His disciples. If we take offense this means we are protecting something in our life that is harming us. God uses the truth to make peace, the truth has no regard for our feelings. If God will not tell me the truth and He leads me to believe a lie, then He doesn’t love me.
 
Correction will benefit you.
Criticism will benefit me.