In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said, "Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called sons of God." There is a special kind of blessing or honored privilege that the Lord reserves for peacemakers. Who are peacemakers and what does it take to become one?
We know about soldiers deployed in Africa under the auspices of the United Nations. They are called Peacekeepers. They act more like a police force than an army. They're not sent into armed conflicts that are ongoing but only go in to patrol after a truce has occurred, often to create a buffer zone between factions.
In America's frontier history, the Colt arms company developed a single action pistol called "The Peace Maker." In a shoot-out, it could end the fight by ending the bad guy's life. The .45 was deadly accurate with its innovative revolving 5-shot cylinder. Before then, guns needed to be reloaded to be fired again. The Colt gave its owner an advantage. The Colt Peacemaker became famous in the American west. With the right power in the right hands, you can make peace.
My point is this: Jesus didn't offer his blessings to peacekeepers but to peacemakers. What does it take to make peace happen? Sometimes you have to make war to obtain peace.
Peacekeeping soldiers usually never fire their weapons. They patrol with the threat of war, but many times it's an empty threat. If the enemy is not willing to cease fire, peacekeepers are on a futile mission. They will be pulled out if combat breaks out. On the other hand, Peacemakers try to disarm or kill the enemy. They use deadly force to protect the civilians. That's their mission.
God values peace, but not "peace at any price?" I choose Winston Churchill rather than Neville Chamberlin. Chamberlin's policy in Great Britain in WWII was appeasement. Churchill knew Hitler posed an existential threat to freedom, civilization, and Christianity.
Christ is called the Prince of Peace. This doesn't mean that God runs from a fight. His domain is a kingdom at war. Fuller Seminary professor John Wimber once famously said, "Jesus never met a demon that he liked." The Lord goes to battle to help us. The showdown with Goliath illustrates how David's faith plus a deadly weapon, saved Israel.
People who want peace at any price -- who won't fight -- are not using sound judgment. What if an enemy comes at you and won't negotiate? Are you unwilling to defend yourself, your family, or your nation? A vicious thief or murderer won't stop. You can't cower and say, "What have I ever done to you?" A bully keeps coming until he is forced to stop. The devil is a snake who likes to steal, kill, and destroy. He is an enemy. People with any sense must be vigilant against evil. Any rational father or mother will attack an attacker if they harm their children.
Teddy Roosevelt said, "Speak softly, but carry a big stick." General Norman Schwartzkoff said, "War is about breaking things and killing people." He led Operation Desert Storm in Iraq. Thank God for soldiers and police who put their lives on the line to keep us safe. It is a false theology to suppose that pacifists are correct. No, sin is real. Evil is real.
When people are aligned with evil dark powers, they have chosen the wrong side. If we can't defeat violence with truth, it still must be defeated. I want the right side to have the power. That's America, my home of the brave.
RON WOOD IS A WRITER AND MINISTER. CONTACT HIM AT [email protected] OR VISIT WWW.TOUCHEDBYGRACE.ORG. THE OPINIONS EXPRESSED ARE THOSE OF THE AUTHOR.
Religion on 06/21/2017