Peacemakers, you are blessed!

How many of you have found yourself frustrated in your efforts of 'peacemaking'* during the last few days, weeks, months, maybe even years - specifically around politics? I see people on all sides of this - from flaunting and boasting to despondent and depressed. As I was dropping my kids off at school today, I saw a pickup truck with a giant "TRUMP/VANCE" sign in their truck bed (it was legitimately filling the entire truck bed - so six-eight feet long, four-six feet tall). I've also seen videos of people screaming in anger/sadness at the news that Harris lost, not to mention the emotionally moving faces of her supporters in tears crowding around her concession speech.

*I also just learned today about the John Cena show "Peacemaker" though I wonder if the plot aligns with God's understanding of peacemakers more than Hollywood's portrayal of them. I don't wonder... that was sarcastic. 

Maybe you're seeking the way of Christ, which among others, is the way of peace. Your attempts to be a peacemaker have been met with confusion, disgust, or even dismissal. Keep reading... 

This year I finally read Dallas Willard's incredible book, The Divine Conspiracy. I am convinced everyone should read it, infinitely more so if you're a Christ-follower! 

He has a segment on the beatitudes that will forever alter how I view them. For what it's worth, the book as a whole is a deep dive into Jesus's most famous sermon, the Sermon on the Mount - as a pastor that reads and studies the Bible regularly, as a pastor that has preached through the SOTM, I am convinced I should have read Willard's book before preaching it! 

Here are his comments about the beatitudes:

"The beatitudes serve to clarify Jesus's fundamental message: God's rule and righteousness is freely available to all of humanity through reliance on Jesus himself. The beatitudes do this by taking those who, from the human point of view, are hopeless, beyond possibility of God's blessing, and demonstrating how they are enjoying God's touch and abundant provision from the heavens." (p. 116, The Divine Conspiracy)

Then he works through all the 'blesseds' - it is so good. Eye-opening. The kind of stuff you'll want to read to your wife - at least I did! But I wanted to highlight his comments on the peacemakers.

"The peacemakers are here too. 'Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God.' They make the list because outside the kingdom they are, as is often said, 'called everything but a child of God." (p. 118)

Maybe you've been trying to be a peacemaker, and you've been called every name on the list except a 'child of God' - remind yourself that Jesus sees you and calls you a child of God! 

Why is that? 

"Because they are always in the middle. Ask the policeman called in to smooth out a domestic dispute. There is no situation more dangerous. Neither side trusts you. Because they know that you are looking at both sides, you can't possibly be on their side." (p.118)

I love that line - since you're looking at both sides, you can't possibly be on their side. That's what people want - someone on their side. But if you're in the middle, you're not identified as a peacemaker, or pursuing the way of Christ, you're seen as 'not on my side'! 

"But under God's rule there is recognition that in bringing good to people who are in the wrong (as both sides usually are) you show the divine family resemblance, 'because God himself is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked' (Luke 6:35). The peacemaker deals precisely with the ungrateful and the wicked, as anyone who has tried it well know." (p. 118) 

Your efforts at peacemaking are reflecting God's heart. Bringing good, giving the benefit of the doubt, seeking to understand, being 'slow to speak, quick to listen' (James 1:19-20). You're dealing with both the 'ungrateful' and the 'wicked' - and when you deal with them peacefully, seeking to make peace, you'll see the ungratefulness and wickedness come out in full force. 

Jesus, our Lord and our example, endured very much the same. He submitted himself to arrest through the betrayal of a close friend and a cloak-and-dagger religious mob. He endured mocking and physical abuse. On the cross, while being taunted by countless others, including the other two men hanging beside Him (who were actually guilty), Jesus demonstrated the ultimate peacemaking, praying to God for their forgiveness! 

"Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." Galatians 6:9

47th President

This is an opinion. Take it for what it's worth. But also the opinion of a blood-bought child of God who has now been called to pastor for eight years, through three elections (though I don't really remember much about the 2016 election except surprise). 

Our church experienced some disruptions on/around the 2020 election. I was going to say upheaval, but it wasn't as serious as that word implies. Personal upheaval for some in our church... maybe; but not upheaval throughout the church. 

As a pastor, I get to preach, and felt led to preach on politics on November 3rd (you can watch the sermon here). I am the first to admit I'm not the most well-versed on politics, the most researched, the most passionate -- but I have an opinion. And in the right setting, I love discussing and debating around most things, politics notwithstanding. The sermon isn't the right setting for a debate or discussion -- it is by design a monologue. My hope on Sunday was to point people to the Holy Scriptures and to encourage, uplift, remind those who were anxious or afraid about the results going one way or the other. I taught through Romans 13 and 1 Timothy 2 as my anchor texts, but also spoke about our witness as 'light' and lastly pointed people to hope. 

That's what I still need - to be reminded, to remind myself, of my 'anchor-hope'. Hebrews says that we have an anchor for the soul in the person of Jesus Christ. Paul crafts a beautiful word-picture that Jesus as our anchor is intricately and intimately connected to us and goes all the way to the holy of holies of the previous temple. Through Jesus, and Jesus alone, we are restored to relationship to God, and this relationship, made possible by Jesus, should be our rock-solid, hope. Our 'anchor-hope' as I like to say. 

But then last night I found myself wanting to watch and be updated about the results, knowing all the while that it would be hours, if not days, before anything would be final. I woke up this morning and it was the second thing I focused on (first, coffee). 

And then I found myself feeling relieved once I saw that Donald Trump was likely the winner. 

Maybe you felt relieved. Excited. Joyful. If you wanted Trump to win, you felt something along those lines. 

Some of you reading this (if you haven't angrily X'd this tab yet) felt anger, frustration, fear. In large part because you wanted Harris to win (or anyone other than Trump!). 

Before you cheer or fly into a rage, have you consider why you felt the way you did? The emotion I felt - relief - caused me to wonder. "Why am I relieved?" Readers - ask yourself, especially if you're in Christ, 'why do you feel that way?' 

For me, I then had an inner-monologue that went something like this (though now I am of course elaborating and perhaps embellishing)

Why, self, be relieved at the results that you think are best? Were you so worried, even after you preached a sermon about fixing our hope in Jesus and Jesus alone? You were moved in your preparation, reminded, excited about the hope that you have, self, in the person of Jesus. Your hope isn't in a politician nor is your future in jeopardy because someone you think isn't best wins. More so, God's purposes are not on the brink of collapse because a certain party or politician wins or loses. Jesus is building His church, and death itself can't stop it. 

And then I pressed a little deeper... 

was God 'relieved' when the results came in? (It's hard not to chuckle when you read that.)

Has God ever been 'relieved' when something happened or did not happen? (As if the one who spoke the universe into existence was nervously awaiting the results of an election. I always picture Smithers  from the Simpsons tapping his fingers together when I think of nervous hands. Sorry, mom, for watching The Simpsons.) 

The one who knows the end from the beginning and has perfect knowledge of every single action and thought of every person throughout all time - He isn't 'relieved'!

And then I moved to the reality that, like it or not, we are emotional beings. Our emotions are God-given. God Himself has emotions, and as every human being is an image-bearer of God, we too have emotions. 

Some of the best stories in the Scriptures are when God expresses surprising emotions. Most expect the wrath, anger, judgment of God. Those aren't surprising. But all of us should be comforted and encouraged when we see the sadness of God, Christ weeping, or the joy of the Lord. 

While my emotions are real, and God has given them to me, I can't rely only on them. The Bible is clear "The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure" (Jeremiah 17:9). Relying only on our emotions is going to lead us into trouble. More so, going fearfully or anxiously into an election is not aligned with the emotions of God. Nor do I think responding with relief to a result in your favor is aligned with the emotions of God. 

So, what did I do with the 'relief'? What are to do with whatever you're feeling after the 2024 election? 

I brought it before God. 

My goal today, and yesterday, and tomorrow (if God wills I have a tomorrow), is that I become more and more like Christ, more and more aligned with His will and His mind; His heart and His emotions. I believe (and see throughout the Biblical story) that we are going to increasingly be more aligned with God's heart, made more Christlike, as we live our lives seeking Him more and more. With that, we are (on this side of glory) undoubtedly going to wrestle with our flesh - our weakness, our tendency to sin, our hearts being far-too-often 'prone to wander.' 

Thankfully the God I worship, the God I'm increasingly getting to know and love, is the God who pursues me in my weakness, in my sin, with my 'prone-to-wander' heart, and He calls me higher. He calls me closer to Him. He calls me more and more into the life He's designed for me to live. Life that is legitimately living. 

This morning I thanked God that (for the majority) the election yesterday was peaceful, void of violence and chaos. This morning I have prayed that those who wanted Trump to win wouldn't gloat, taunt or demean those who didn't. This morning I have prayed for those who wanted Harris to win wouldn't despair. This morning I prayed, and will continue to pray, that God convicts the hearts of our political leaders. That God would reveal Himself to every political leader and that they would surrender their lives to Christ. This morning I prayed, as I see Paul commanding Christians to pray (1 Timothy 2), that God would grant our government officials wisdom and discernment to 'cultivate good' and 'mitigate evil'. 

My hope is built on nothing less 
than Jesus' blood and righteousness;
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
but wholly lean on Jesus' name.
On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand:
all other ground is sinking sand.