Blessed are the "Piece"makers: A Devotional Thought

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. Matthew 5:9, NIV

This week I worked with curves. Piecing together a curve within a quilt block is one of the most challenging things a quilter does. Theres a reason that most quilt blocks have straight lines, squares, triangles and the occasional hexagon. Even the most beginner of quilters can get a decent result when sewing a series of straight lines, piecing together triangles and squares in a pattern. When finished it will almost always lay flat and look square. Curves on the other hand... lay flat? Forget it! Finished block look square? Not a chance! Getting a convex and an concave piece of fabric to come together so as to line up in the middle and lay flat after sewing is... frustrating... challenging... SKILL.

A convex and concave curve don't fit together all that well...

What does sewing curved quilt blocks have to do with one of Jesus' beatitudes? To be honest, I have always had a difficult time truly understanding this list of Jesus's To Do's. Sure, on the surface I get it, being a peacemaker is good. In general that just sounds like a good idea. But I have always known there was something deeper to this simple verse. What does it actually mean to be a "peacemaker"? To be a peacemaker means to bring peace to conflict. A convex curve and a concave curve cannot be more in conflict! Yet, using skill and technique, a quilter can bring these two opposing curves together. The outcome: An astonishing block that can be used to create a beautiful quilt!

Jesus, The Ultimate Peacemaker

Just as a quilter brings two opposing curves together to make her blocks, the peacemaker that Jesus refers to here brings resolution to conflict both between God and people and among people. Just as a quilter uses special techniques to sew curves, there are techniques to being a peacemaker. Where do we find those skills? YouTube? Google? Nope. We need to look directly to Jesus, the ultimate peacemaker. He resolved the greatest conflict between God and mankind by dying on the cross for our sins. When I look to Jesus to show me how to be a peacemaker I see that I should look to "act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with my God."(Micah 6:8, NIV)

The end result of all those curved pieces.

Blessing

The reward: To be called children of God. A successful peacemaker in God's eye is one who points to Jesus. Whom others will call a Jesus Follower. Who will be counted among God's heavenly kingdom. There is no better reward than that!

Piece-Making Peacemaker

As I continue to work on sewing curves (because what quilter doesn't love a good challenge?) I will now continually be reminded about being a peacemaker and pray that God will grant me the humility, strength and courage to be the peacemaker he has called me to be.

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