Two sides of the blessing

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God. 

- Jesus in Matthew 5:9

Are you happy? I hope so, because I like for people to be happy. In fact, I want everyone to be happy, all at the same time.

Which is not possible.

There is a term for someone who wants to make everyone happy, especially when he tries too hard. That term is people-pleaser. Well, there may be a more technical term - but that's the one I know.

I was talking to a friend early this week, and we were talking about how important it is for me to let someone know if I was going to be late. I ended my comments with the dismissive statement, "After all, I'm a people-pleaser."

Then my friend encouraged me with this: He said that he doesn't see me as a people-pleaser; he sees me as a peacemaker.

What a compliment, I thought. And then…not so much.

Why? Well, I think he hit on a profound truth about our lives as human beings created in the image of God. We have a flesh, a sin nature, that is consumed with self and pride. It is a distortion of the way were created, brought about by our desire to do things our way instead of God's. The technical term for it is, well, sin.

How does that apply here? I think that in each of the Beatitudes, Jesus was pronouncing a blessing on us that would show up every time we feed the right side of some human characteristic. In this case,

1. God created us to be at peace.
2. My flesh has turned that into a desire to keep people happy because I don't like conflict (making it all about me).
3. Through the cross and the power of the Resurrection, Jesus can redeem that characteristic, making it what it was originally intended to be. A conduit for peace.

And if we can do that, if we can turn our fleshly desires into a  godly characteristic, then we are "blessed."

So yeah, I suppose it was compliment to say I'm a peacemaker. But not really, because it's not about me. It's God who takes my tendencies, redeems them, and turns them into something that can be used for his glory.

And that is the blessing.

Just a quick thought

I was reading from the gospels tonight and I came across a statement from Jesus. One I've known pretty much all my life.

I have come to bring fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled! But I have a baptism to undergo, and what constraint I am under until it is completed! Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but division. From now on there will be five in one family divided against each other, three against two and two against three. (Luke 12:50-52, NIV)

How easy it is to turn Jesus into a meek, mild advocate for the Rodney King philosophy ("Can't we all just get along?").

But that was not his intent at all. He stirred up the authorities. He made the religious leaders furious. He told his followers that if they stuck with him, they would be hated and abused, and should rejoice about it.

No. If peace refers to the absence of conflict and blind acceptance of everybody's beliefs because "all that matters is love," he did not come to bring peace. He came to bring a sword. He came to bring a radical way of living that would make the darkness tremble. He came to bring a Kingdom that would overthrow the kingdoms of men.

Yes, God is love. We are to love our neighbors, and even our enemies. But love is not synonymous with capitulation. Sometimes the loving thing to do is to stand for truth, share the truth, and confront those who need to be confronted.

That is the sword Jesus brought. The sword of truth. How we answer the question, "Who is Jesus?" will divide people. It just will. Those who insist that he is the one and only King of the universe and the only way to the Father will be accused of being insensitive, intolerant, and maybe even bigoted.

And that's okay - it's what he intended.

Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every other name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:9-11, NIV)

Amen.

Christmas favorites: Someday at Christmas

I love Christmastime. I love the lights, the music, the presents, and the times gathered with family and friends. And I love the worship services and family traditions that celebrate the coming of Jesus. Tonight I want to begin a series of posts sharing about some of my favorite Christmas songs. There may be a post or two about some other favorite traditions as well.

I could start with one of my longtime favorite Christmas hymns: Silent Night, Hark the Herald Angels Sing, O Come All Ye Faithful....the list goes on and on. But there are other more contemporary songs that put me in the spirit - some about Christ, some about family, some about the peace Christ came to bring, and some that are just fun. Tonight, here is one of my favorite contemporary songs.

Someday at Christmas. A song written by Stevie Wonder, but recorded by other artists such as Jack Johnson, Mary J. Blige, and even Justin Bieber (which fortunately has not ruined it for me, haha). Here is a YouTube version of the original recording, followed by the lyrics and some comments:



Lyrics:


Someday at Christmas men won't be boys
Playing with bombs like kids play with toys
One warm December our hearts will see
A world where men are free

Someday at Christmas there'll be no wars
When we have learned what Christmas is for
When we have found what life's really worth
There'll be peace on earth

Someday all our dreams will come to be
Someday in a world where men are free
Maybe not in time for you and me
But someday at Christmastime

Someday at Christmas we'll see a land
With no hungry children, no empty hand
One happy morning people will share
Our world where people care

Someday at Christmas there'll be no tears
All men are equal and no men have fears
One shining moment, one prayer away
From our world today

Someday all our dreams will come to be
Someday in a world where men are free
Maybe not in time for you and me
But someday at Christmastime

Someday at Christmas man will not fail
Hate will be gone and love will prevail
Someday a new world that we can start
With hope in every heart

Someday all our dreams will come to be
Someday in a world where men are free
Maybe not in time for you and me
But someday at Christmastime
Someday at Christmastime
___________________________

It is s song that brings out so many emotions and thoughts for me. Hope. Joy. Compassion. Thankfulness. Challenge. It looks to a day when the world will be the way God intended it to be: no hate, war, hunger, or need. Plenty of love, hope, and giving. And I can't listen to it without thinking of my friends in Ethiopia and Uganda and how much God loves them.

The thing I love is that it puts Christmas in the context of those things. Christmas is about God coming into the world, and the Baby born in Bethlehem began his ministry by quoting this Scripture and claiming it as his own:

"The Spirit of the Lord is on me, 
   because he has anointed me 
   to preach good news to the poor. 
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners 
   and recovery of sight for the blind, 
to release the oppressed, 
    to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” (Luke 4:18-19)

Jesus came to bring about the things the song proclaims. May all of us who claim Jesus' name obey him and work to bring about the Lord's favor. Someday. At Christmas.