“Blessed are the pure in heart for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers for they will be called children of God.” Matthew 5:8-9
I don’t think it’s a coincidence that these verses are together. Being pure in heart makes your desire peace. Making peace makes you check your intentions to have a pure heart.
Let’s explore both of these.
I commonly think about the difference between “peace makers” and “peace keepers”. They’re a lot like the difference between “kind” and “nice”.
The Bible doesn’t say much about peace keepers. That’s what police officers can be called, and I know that they’re rarely at peace when doing their jobs.
But peace makers? There is a lot more to say about making peace.
“Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness.”
James 3:18 NIV
“Consider the blameless, observe the upright; a future awaits those who seek peace.”
Psalms 37:37 NIV
Neither of these mention keeping peace, as if it were something you could use to command and quell other’s emotion; like a sedative used for children’s bedtimes and mealtime battles with a stubborn picky eater.
Rather, peace is a pursuit; something we seek after and sow in our hearts.
It takes work to make peace and it takes time to see its fruitfulness.
Like the work of making a piece of fine art, it takes time and dedication, going over details, layer after layer, toiling to get it right and not settling. When something isn’t right, you keep working until it is.
It is much more work than squeezing a whole tube of paint onto canvas and smearing it in a thick layer with your bare hands.
You can see peace in the work and dedication or you can tell the rush and chaos. Both used paint, but there’s not much more in common.
The difference is the artist.
Warning Signals
I am learning to trust my gut feelings. There’s a certain nervousness when I know exactly what bold move I need to make. It feels like I’m going to cry, or get choked-up from being impassioned, or throw up. Maybe you know the feeling.
Where in your gut you know the right thing to do even when you’ve never made this move before, but the feeling of impending action overwhelms every other thought until it’s seen through.
It’s not nervousness like performance anxiety before a concert or public speaking to a group of strangers – or worse: friends. It’s a deep need to do the right thing and it consumes your thoughts and being until you start and finish it.
It can sometimes be debilitating, when I think I can control the outcome, but God has predestined these conversations and is making our faith take action.
It’s a gift from God.
It’s a way to make peace when you feel none. It’s how to gauge the purity of your heart.
How is your heart?
My heart is often self-focused and that is hardly pure or peaceable.
“But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.”
James 3:17 NIV
When I try squash those feeling of unease to stay in my comfort zone, suddenly my comfort zone becomes uncomfortable. Like when your legs go numb after sitting for too long: the only way to lift the discomfort is through action.
Spiritual discomfort is one of God’s many ways of communicating with us to listen and obey.
“But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.”
James 1:22 NKJV
Deceiving myself doesn’t lead to peace. I am lying to myself when I say that being comfortable is more important than obeying God. I don’t like to think that I’m disobeying God, but I definitely am when I’m telling myself that I know better than God and to stay still when I’m being called by Him to act.
And by “stay still” I definitely mean channel “hide and avoid eye contact” feelings toward God… Not smart, Deb.
That isn’t in alignment with peace, and our hearts are not pure when they’re set on ourselves.
Our hearts are pure when they’re set on God.
Conclusion
“Delight yourself also in the Lord, And He shall give you the desires of your heart.”
Psalms 37:4 NKJV
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths. Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the Lord and depart from evil.”
Proverbs 3:5-7 NKJV
Don’t worry, I’m being chastised by the words here, too.
While pursuing peace and purity, I find a lot of tumult and dross in my own behaviors and attitudes. But it is so worth chasing after – making, acting on, not ignoring those gut-feelings – to reap a harvest of righteousness, to be blameless, upright, and to have a future of peace. That sounds amazing.
So do not lose heart. Trust it to the Lord. He will purify your heart when you come to Him humbly. That purity of heart will bring you such peace when you stay in community with Christ.