Piecemakers and Peacemakers

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called Sons of God (Mt 5:9 NIV)

 Joseph, as a young man growing up in Canaan, had become such an annoyance to his brothers that their feelings toward him had degenerated from mere jealousy, for being their father’s favorite son (a fact made painfully obvious to them by his richly adorned robe) to bloodlust hatred.  In the eyes of his brothers, Joseph had become so despicable that they plotted to kill him and concoct a lie to their father to explain his disappearance.  Joseph’s brothers were ‘piecemakers’ – their jealousy and rage nearly led them to tear their close-knit family into pieces and cause unnecessary grief to their loving father – all for the sake of satisfying their own collective pride.

 Reuben took an unpopular position with his brothers in sparing Joseph’s life.  The dreams Joseph shared with his brothers and father that foreshadowed his upcoming ascent to a position of power and status in Egypt must have been particularly upsetting to Reuben, who by birthright should have been assured a position of authority over Joseph and all his other brothers as the eldest son.  Whether it was genuine compassion for his annoying brother Joseph or an act of self-preservation to prevent a younger sibling from being killed and jeopardizing his birthright, Reuben found a creative way to allow his brothers to exorcise their hatred of Joseph while sparing Joseph’s life.  Reuben was a peacemaker.

Being a Christian requires striving to achieve heart-to-heart reconciliation with our quarreling brethren.  We need to fight the temptation to be ‘piecemakers’ – there is no place for us to create or propagate discord, dissention, and hatred with our brothers and sisters.  As peacemakers, Jesus promises that our reward is great – we will be called the Sons of God.  But if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live, because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God…Now if we are children, then we are heirs – heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory (Rom 8:13b; 17).  Just as Joseph’s family was ultimately blessed by being granted settlement in the prime part of the land of Egypt, so too will our reward as peacemakers be access to all of God’s riches – as sons and daughters, with Christ as our brother.

Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord (Heb 12:14 NIV).   

Prayer:  Lord, give me the desire to seek out opportunities to bring peace between quarreling brethren and the compassion to bring peace in ways that build up those who need uplifting.  Amen.