The Pure In Heart & Peace Makers
Notes
Transcript
How’s your soul?
That’s the question a pastor/mentor of mine used to routinely ask us.
How’s your soul?
How’s your soul?
I don’t know how this journey has gone for you, but for me the journey through the beatitudes has been challenging in my walk of faith. Meditating on the beatitudes invites us to reflect on our own faith, our actions, our motives, our heart.
Today we’re looking at two beatitudes closely related. They are numbers 6 and 7 out of the 9.
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
This past week a collection of local biblical scholars (a scholar is one who studies) from a wide variety of experiences and positions gathered and shared their views on what it means to be “pure in heart.”
Their definitions were very similar to their definitions of what it meant to be merciful. But one word stood out, “innocent.”
We think of the innocence of small children. When we think of a small child their innocence is sometimes described as not knowing any better.
In our weekly Bible study (the group of scholars previous mentioned) one participant said, I think the “beatitudes” should be called the “be my attitudes” because I want them to be my attitude.
It’s a recalibration isn’t it?
It’s a call to a holy way of living.
I’ve shared with you multiple times this Lenten season is a great time to spend time examining ourselves.
It has been said,
“We judge others by their actions, but we judge our selves by our intention.”
Yet even this makes an assumption that our intentions are pure. But are they?
Chances are they are not.
It’s not unusual to put ourselves in the best light whenever we make a request, debate an issue or simply have a conversation. On social media people only post their “greatest hits”.
Don’t be fooled
Don’t be fooled
Social media feeds are filled with smiling families. Yet surveys reveal that
As many as 52% of families are struggling to make it economically.
Dave Ramsey reports 60% of families are living paycheck to paycheck.
69% of families report conflicts as perpetual
That is not what we think of when we’re scrolling through our social media feeds. We think everyone else has it all worked out. So we live behind our closed doors suffering in shame, in worry, and pain.
This is a result of our own pride.
Pride worries what others will think.
Pride imagines we’re the only ones.
Pride raise in us the fear of failing or being seen as a failure.
Pride gets us stuck behind those closed doors suffering in shame.
It’s our pride that leads us to try and convince others our situations are other than what they are.
Pride pollutes our motives; pride pollutes our heart denying us of the purity of heart Jesus calls us to live in.
In many ways the other beatitude we’re looking at today is a remedy for the things that keep us from seeking to live in that purity of heart.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
As Christians we have been adopted into the family of God, and ought therefore to live as imagers of our Creator God. In The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia the authors write:
Being a peacemaker means actively working to resolve conflict and foster reconciliation rather than simply avoiding confrontation. A peacemaker seeks to end strife and establish harmony, particularly between oneself and one’s neighbors.
This isn’t passive action; it goes beyond desiring peace it is acticely going into those places of conflict and seeking to bring peace to this deeply fragmented world. It is imitating God who reconciled humanity to himself, who brought together Jews and Gentiles, men and women, and more.
Peacemaking involves intentional practices such as listening carefully, speaking softly, setting aside personal desires, not retaliating when wronged, apologizing for offense, smiling when things get heated, and putting others first.
You might be surprised that even worship takes a secondary importance according to Jesus. We read in Matthew 5:23-24
“Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift.
The work of peacemaking though does not begin with our outer actions, it begins internally. It is when each of us individually take time daily to conquer the sin in our own lives, and do the work to bring peace to the civil war that rages in our own hearts that we are able to help others fight this battle as well.
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
Peacemaking carries a cost, and it frequently leads to persecution. Yet just like all the other beatitudes there is a reward from God, in this case that we are blessed to be recognized as children of God.
Perhaps one of the hardest communities for us to work on bringing peace is in our own homes.
There’s a reason why family gatherings for too many are not considered safe spaces, or places that they even want to be.
So, I’ve shared a bit of what peacemaking is, I think it is just as important to share what it is not. Peacemaking is not choosing to be a doormat, one could easily say that those would be mixed motives and therefore conflicting with the beatitude that directly precedes it.
You can’t choose to just go along so that you look the hero - that too is a mixed motive.
In Hebrew the word peace is never only from a negative state; it never is simply the absence of trouble. In Hebrew peace always means everything which makes for a person’s highest good. When in Hebrew one greets another with Shalom they are not hoping for the absence of conflict, but wishing the best for highest good for the person.
During the Civil Rights Movement, many peacemakers emerged, like Martin Luther King Jr. He famously said, 'Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.' This reflects Jesus' teaching that peacemakers are blessed, as they seek harmony and justice rather than revenge or hate (Matthew 5:9).
One might say that at the root of peacemaking is the purity of our hearts.
In the story of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37), we see a man who, despite being from a despised culture, showed true love and compassion. He put aside societal prejudices and acted out of a pure heart. Being pure in heart means seeing beyond appearances and loving others as God loves us, regardless of their background or past. This parable encourages us to reflect on how we can act with purity of heart in our own lives, helping those in need without judgment.
In the pursuit of purity, think of a sculptor chiseling a block of marble. The sculptor removes everything that is not part of the final masterpiece. Similarly, to be pure in heart, we must let God chip away our distractions and sins, carving us into His image. It’s a process, one that requires patience and submission. The end result is a heart that reflects God’s love and holiness—a true work of divine art.
You might see yourself as less than, you’re not. You might compare yourselves to others, God invites us to compare ourselves to Him. You might have hidden conflict in your life, God invites you to come to Him and deal with it honestly.
You may be angry, that’s okay. Jesus got angry - the challenge for us is that we’re told not to sin in our anger. That’s so much easier said than done.
Often when we lash out at others its because of unresolved hurts in our own lives. Allow God to chisel those things out and reveal the masterpiece that is you.
In your home, conflicts can arise over small misunderstandings and disagreements. Make it a point to approach these situations with a pure heart. When arguments flare, take a step back before reacting. Pray silently for peace and wisdom. After praying, express your feelings calmly, acknowledging the other person's viewpoint. This will not only diffuse anger but create an environment where both sides feel valued, leading to a more harmonious home.
As we move forward, make a commitment to share honestly and listen actively in your daily life, fostering a culture of love and understanding. May the light of Christ shine through us.
