“You’re blessed when you can show people how to cooperate instead of compete or fight. That’s when you discover who you really are, and your place in God’s family.” Matthew 5:9 The Message (MSG)
I love the wording of this verse in The Message: “show people how to cooperate instead of compete or fight.”
That is such a powerful way to live—finding common ground instead of always looking for our differences and then arguing about them.
When Jesus is talking about peace in this verse, I don’t believe He is talking about peace at any cost—making an agreement that causes you to compromise your core values or core beliefs.
Later on in Matthew 10, Jesus says that He Himself didn’t come to bring peace to the earth. Instead, He says He came to bring a sword.
Now Jesus didn’t go around swinging a sword and dividing people into two groups. But He was the catalyst for such a division. He still is.
So I don’t believe today’s verse is talking about doing whatever it takes in order to get along with anybody and everybody.
Instead I believe it’s saying that peace is available to Jesus’s true followers in any situation. Personal peace with God is always available to believers, no matter what’s going on. And I believe true Christ followers can have peace among themselves.
Even among believers who disagree about the meaning of some scriptures.
Even among believers who disagree about the best way to worship corporately.
Even among believers who have a hard time finding anything they agree on—except when it comes to Jesus. And who He is. And what He’s done for them.
I believe that’s enough to keep the peace in our “family”—instead of acting like our brother is the enemy.