Happy Are the Peacemakers

It is vital that we human beings to live in a peaceful environment. When a person is fearful of another, or anger is constantly triggered, or they abide in an anxious environment more than an unpleasant emotion is experienced. The adrenal glands flood the body with stress hormones, such as adrenaline and cortisol. The brain shunts blood away from the gut and towards the muscles, in preparation for physical exertion. Heart rate, blood pressure and respiration increase, the body temperature rises and the skin perspires. The inside of your body begins to work hard even if all you’re doing is sitting in a chair! You, your family, your coworkers could begin to experience health problems directly stemming from a lack of peace in your environment. Studies have shown that the constant flood of stress chemicals that accompany recurrent unmanaged anger, fear, etc. can eventually cause harm to many different systems of the body. Some health problems include:
Headache
Digestion problems, such as abdominal pain
Insomnia
Increased anxiety
Depression
High blood pressure
Skin problems, such as eczema
Heart attack
Stroke

Jesus demonstrated to us how to create a peaceful environment one day while taking a boat ride. While he slept a storm erupted that scared his fellow travelers out of their minds. Then they woke him up. Please allow me to view Jesus through my own perspective. Since I really, really do not l like to be awakened I think Jesus was not happy about being brought out of his slumber. I know, all you morning lovers see Jesus as springing from his cot with a wide-spread stretch and hustle to get on the job. But not me and I ‘m pretty sure Jesus pretended to keep sleeping for a couple seconds to see if they’d go away. When they didn’t, he opened his eyes to a bare minimum, a tiny slit that allowed his facial muscles to register annoyance with a hint of “pity me”. When they pulled on him enough he got up and did not stretch, for that would ruin ANY hope of actually being able to fall back to sleep, & of course that’s exactly what he intended to do. (According to my way of thinking.) As he shuffled, eyes still in slit mode, irritation finally made its way to his throat when he realized that the spray of water would definitely ruin his chances of falling back into the blissful slumber he had been so enjoying. A low guttural growl finally brings him to the awareness of the situation.

Of course the disciples had never heard the Sunday school story about Jesus calming the storms. His followers didn’t have a New Testament KJV, NIV, or TLB to read. Here they were treading water in their boat, likely bailing their heads off while Jesus is napping! When they said (Mark 4:38) “Don’t you care if we drown?” They didn’t think he would actually calm the storm; they simply wanted him to join their bailing efforts! This was an “all hands on deck” situation and no one likes to watch someone else take a luxurious nap while they’re working hard! Misery loves company, as they say. But Jesus wasn’t about to join their drama. Jesus refused to be pulled in by their fear. He was not going to allow himself to be sucked in to their frenzy.

Mark 4:39 He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, "Quiet! Be still!" Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. NIV

I have heard my whole life that Jesus will bring calm to my storm. And he has, does & will continue to intervene in my life’s storms. But Jesus did not intend to calm storms for those disciples anymore. He said to them, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?" Faith to do what? FOR CALMING YOUR OWN STORM! Christ said that with faith we can move mountains; why couldn’t we calm a storm too? There is a beautiful song that I have sung for many years that says, “I know the Peace speaker. I know him by name.” I’ll sing the song many more times. It ministers & brings hope. But I have come to the conclusion that I do indeed “know the peace speaker.” I truly know the name of the “peace speaker”; for my life it is, Denee Elaine Richardson! For your life the peace speaker is none other than yourself.

The famous, King James Version phrase says, “Blessed are the peacemakers.” The Living Bible puts Matthew 5:9 like this, “Happy are those who strive for peace.” If we want a peaceful home we must use our God-given authority and demand it be so! When our children are fighting among themselves we have got to step into that storm and say, “Be quiet! Be still!” When we find ourselves continually bickering with our spouse we’ve got to tell them, “Be quiet!” NOT REALLY! (That would be the fight to end it all, for sure!) But you’ve truly got to tell someone to be quiet and still; yourself. You know one of the meanings of the word “peace” is, “to be friendly, to make amends, end, finish.” At some point you’ve got to face the facts that your marriage, your social life, or your work environment is one big storm and everybody is bailing frantically to save their own skin. That bailing comes out in spiteful words, or haughty looks. Its hard work and you may either be bailing along with everybody, or found a of a type of slumber, a way to tune everybody out. Well, your slumber just may be adding to the problem. Don’t bail and don’t sleep. Instead walk to the front of that ship and say “Be quiet!” by sending a note of appreciation to a co-worker. Say “Be still.” with flowers and an apology to a spouse. Demand peace by playing a game with your children. Strive for peace by humbling yourself.

Happy are those who STRIVE for peace. Indeed, creating a peaceful environment requires some work. You will have to exert yourself vigorously. You’ll have to try hard. The job is sometimes strenuous. But the end result is happiness.

Jesus will bring peace to your storm, but so can you.