Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.
Matthew 5:9
“The Resistance” Biblical Leadership Book Lesson 7: Seek to Reconcile
To be a peacemaker is to not encourage conflict, to seek peace instead of hostility, to spur reconciliation instead of estrangement. We grow spiritually by baby steps through mere obedience by resisting knee jerk reactions when provoked. However, as we mature, we begin to understand and see with clearer eyes how to disarm potentially volatile situations and subdue enmity. Anywhere humans are present, disagreements will follow. How those disagreements are addressed is what we must concern ourselves with this week.
To fully understand this Beatitude we have to grasp the second half: being called sons of God.
For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God
Romans 8:14
for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith.
Galatians 3:26
But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God,
John 1:12
In life it seems that it is becoming harder and harder to find peace, which is why it is all the more important to exert effort to become a peacemaker. Everywhere you turn, homes, churches and communities are affected negatively because of disagreements and opinions. All of the verses above point to one answer: the work and urgings of the Holy Spirit. We must seek to be led by the Spirit in all instances and especially in caustic situations.
Application
Looking throughout Jesus’ ministry, He was met with immense opposition, yet he never once got into an argument or a shouting match to prove Himself. He exhibited a quiet and strong confidence in every instance of attack. He is the Spirit that is to lead us. Primarily, a Godly leader must first be led by the example set forth by the Spirit before we can effectively lead others through these heightened times of struggle and engagement. As Proverbs 12:20 says, we should plan peace.
As leaders, we will be under constant attack; some clearly defined and others more subtle. Contention and strife are like an eroding cliff with a house sitting on top of it. In life, opposition will always be lurking, trying to halt progress and distract. As we learn from the Spirit how to lead, it will urge us toward more strategic decisions, in the sense of not keeping enemies as enemies, but rather transforming them to allies. This is what God did for us through His son, Jesus.
A final note regarding reconciling and repairing relationships, there will be instances that reconciliation is just not available at that time. Our responsibility is to do what God lays on our heart. We are incapable of changing the mind or behaviors of others, but we must be obedient to do our part.
Character in Action (Biblical Leadership Book Homework)
Read Romans 8 and examine your objective over the past weeks.
- Have you met opposition that eroded any of the progress you have made?
- Were there any situations that needed to be diffused? How did you handle them?
Take time and assess your progress, next week we begin addressing how to maintain momentum when life hits you full force.
Prayer
Our Heavenly Father, only You are good and perfect and steadfast. We confess that we have not been peacemakers with You throughout our lives. We thank You that we are able to be reconciled to you through Your Son Jesus. Please draw near to us, that we are able to draw near to You and learn how to handle opposition in a way pleasing to You. In Your great name, amen.
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The Resistance: Becoming A Servant Leader Through the Beatitudes Book
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