Blessed are the Peacemakers

To my son, 

            When the Savior gave His famous Sermon on the Mount, He highlighted several types of people and called them “blessed.” One of those was the peacemakers of whom He said, “Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God” (Matt. 5:9). A peacemaker is one who seeks to reduce contention and helps others to love and be kind to each other. This is similar to what your mother would call a “destroyer of chaos.”  A peacemaker will often make sacrifices to help others, such as letting someone else go first in line or giving up the last treat so someone else can have it. In other words, a peacemaker will follow what is known as the “golden rule” taught by the Savior: “Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets” (Matt. 7:12). Sometimes people describe this as “do unto others as you would have done unto you.” I know that as you try to live by this principle, seeking to promote peace and put others’ needs before your own, the Lord will bless you and you will feel His love for you.

               The Savior’s promised blessing for peacemakers is to “be called the children of God.” Of course, we are all children of God and you sing that in Primary saying, “I am a child of God.” Everyone on the earth is a daughter or son of Heavenly Father and He loves them. I think Jesus meant something a little different, though, in what He promised peacemakers in this verse. To be called the children of God means that you are becoming like Him, that you are developing the characteristics that He has. As you strive to bring peace into our home and put others’ needs before your own, you are becoming like God by doing the things He would do. Isaiah called the Savior the “Prince of Peace” and when you seek to be a peacemaker you are following Him and becoming like Him.

               One of my favorite stories about a peacemaker is in the book Les Misérables by Victor Hugo. There was a Bishop who took in a stranger named Jean Valjean who was rejected by most everyone else because he had just gotten out of jail. The Bishop let Valjean stay the night in his home, but the man stole silver from him and snuck away. He was later caught by the police with the silver and brought him back to the Bishop. Here’s how the Bishop responded when he first saw Valjean, “Ah! here you are! I am glad to see you. Well, but how is this? I gave you the candlesticks too, which are of silver like the rest, and for which you can certainly get two hundred francs. Why did you not carry them away with your forks and spoons?” Instead of being angry with him or sending the man back to prison, he sought to serve him and help him follow the Savior. After the police left the Bishop said to Valjean, “Do not forget, never forget, that you have promised to use this money in becoming an honest man. Jean Valjean, my brother, you no longer belong to evil, but to good. It is your soul that I buy from you; I withdraw it from black thoughts and the spirit of perdition, and I give it to God.” That single act of love and forgiveness changed the man’s life and he did indeed turn his life to God after that. The Bishop brought peace where there was none and helped this man find the peace of serving God. I know that you can make a big difference in our home and among your peers as you seek to be a peacemaker, helping and loving and forgiving others like this Bishop and as the Savior would.

  

Love,

Dad