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Take "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God" (Matthew 5:9). I've known some secular types (and even a few Christians) who quote the verse, abruptly ending at the comma. They want to express their respect and admiration for those who work for peace. But they seem less comfortable with the verse's concluding reference to the divine.
For a long time, I tried to integrate the two parts by arguing that Jesus must have meant that if we do enough peacemaking, then we will ultimately be seen by others as true children of God. How blessed that would be.
More and more, however, I've come to doubt that interpretation. In fact, I have come to suspect it's the other way around: Blessed are the peacemakers, for their journey begins by understanding that they are children of God. I suspect Jesus was saying that to be an enduring pacifist--that is, to be a diligent active worker for peace and nonviolence, even in the most depressing of circumstances--we must first understand that we are God's beloved children. We must hear a call to peacemaking, but also understand who it is who calls us. We must know who it is who redeems us, who gathers us together as one family.
When we recognize and accept our identity as children of God, we find ourselves walking in His footsteps. Our role model--and Father--is the One who is known throughout Scripture as "the God of peace" (e.g., I Thessalonians 5:23). We gain strength and we overcome fear when we walk hand in hand with the One who can carry us through any adversity, affliction or terror.
As peacemakers, the world may never esteem us. We may be jailed or jeered. We may be ridiculed or written off. At times, we may even stumble or fail. But blessed are the peacemakers, for our peacemaking is grounded in the knowledge that we are the called, chosen and forever-embraced children of God.
Mark Olson lives in Fredericksburg, Va. This article is reprinted, with permission, from The Other Side, 300 W. Apsley, Philadelphia, PA 19144, phone (215) 849-2178.
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