Are You A Peacemaker?

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

Matthew 5:9

I have seen this used by Law Enforcement as one of their motto verses.  And it is true that one of the duties of Law Enforcement Officers is to make, and keep, the peace.  But guess what?  Jesus didn't say "Blessed are only the Police for they shall be called children of God."

Guess who is eligible to be a Peacemaker?  YOU!  That's right, YOU are eligible to be a peacemaker!  Just as YOU are eligible to be called a Child of God.  

Peace Makers are just that...makers of peace!  They aren't riotous! They aren't destroyers!  They don't demand their own way!  Peace Makers realize that, while each of us is different, we can all still work together and get along.  

I've watched some of the demonstrations across the country on the news.  Some are very peaceful, but some are, for lack of a better way to say it, a riot looking for a chance to explode. And when these demonstrations explode into rioting, what does that accomplish? Businesses pull out of those areas, thus jobs are lost; property is damaged or destroyed thus insurance rates go up and the cost of living also rises.

I remember watching movie about Gandhi.  He helped bring about MASSIVE change to India without riots, destruction, and violence.  Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. helped bring about MASSIVE change to the United States with his dream of people being united and living in peace.

Somewhere along the way, we seem to have lost that desire for peace.