BLESSED ARE THE PEACEMAKERS FOR THEY
SHALL BE CALLED THE CHILDREN OF GOD.
What does it take to be a peacemaker? One who would
have peace in every situation and condition. The Lord has told us that
contention is the spirit of the Devil. The spirit of Christ is love
and peace.
In all our dealings with each other and with our
families and loved ones and even with all men we must act in love and
peace. If we offend others by our criticism or by our actions
certainly we are not living the Gospel of Jesus Christ. This applies
especially in our homes and with those who are dearest to us.
To criticize a love one is to make them feel of less
worth and damages their self esteem and like a two edged sword it
hurts both parties the criticized and the criticizer. Certainly
criticism is a tool often used by Satan to create contention and to
cause hurt feelings. Satan uses this tool to beguile men into thinking
that to improve his family he must tell them what is wrong and
criticize them so that they can change and do better. This however
only hurts the person and makes them feel of less worth. If we
compliment and praise our loved ones for the things that they do that
are right and good, that encourages them and builds them up and
increases their desire to become better and increases their love for
everyone. If we tell a loved one "don't be stupid." All they usually
hear is Stupid and feel that they are being called stupid and it hurts
and makes them feel stupid.
The lord has been very specific about calling names and
making others feel less than they are.
Ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, and it is
also written before you, that thou shalt not kill, and whosoever
shall kill shall be in danger of the judgement of God.
But I say unto you, that whosoever shall be angry
with his brother shall be in danger of His judgement. And whosoever
shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council;
and whosoever shall say, Thou Fool, Shall be in danger of Hell
Fire.
Nephi 12:21
Can we afford to call someone "Stupid" or "Dumb"? That
is what we use today instead of "Fool".
An example of being peace makers are the people that
Ammon and His brothers converted to the Gospel. They buried their
weapons on War and made a covenant with the Lord that they would never
take up arms against their brethren and would never again shed
blood.
Even when their brethren the Lamanites came upon them
they went out to meet them and kneeled down in front of them and
prayed to Heavenly Father that he might forgive them. The Lamanites
began to slaughter them with the sword and when they saw that they
would not run or defend themselves they became ashamed and would not
kill anymore.
Anger and contention and the Lack of peacemakers
brought the Total destruction of the Jaredite nation even to the last
man Coriantumr. Read the story in the book of Mormon, and see that
Coriantumr's greatest punishment was to see all of His people
destroyed because of him. And he was left alone to wander for forty
years living on whatever he could find and kill for food. Finally to
see another people possess the land a people that he could not even
understand nor make them understand his language. So He carved his sad
history on a rock and left it hoping someone could translate it. He
only lived nine months after finding the Mulekites and dwelling with
them. His guilt and loneliness was his punishment even unto death and
his final judgement before God.
Also the Destruction of the Nephite Nation until all
were killed except those that became Lamanites and a few who escaped
to the south and Moroni only was left to tell the story. What a
difference between Moroni and Coriantumr. Moroni was a prophet of God
and had a great mission to perform. He spent his time and wanderings
fulfilling joyfully the Commandments of God. He knew that he would be
welcomed before the pleasing bar of God. To be a peacemaker one must
learn to keep all of the commandments of God and really live the
Gospel of Jesus Christ.
LIVING THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST
First of course are the first principles of the
Gospel.
First faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Second repentance
Third baptism by emersion for the remission of
sins.
Fourth the laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy
Ghost.
Notice the order in which the Savior taught the
beatitudes. The Savior taught:
- Blessed are the poor in spirit, who come unto me (and have faith
in me) for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
- Blessed are they that mourn (mourn for their sins and repent of
them) for they shall be comforted.
- Blessed are the meek (who are willing to go down into the waters
of baptism) for they shall inherit the earth. Baptism is the gateway
to the Celestial Kingdom or the Earth after it has been
Celestialized.
- Blessed are they who hunger and thirst after righteousness for
they shall be filled with Holy Ghost
The teachings of the Savior continue on specifically
dealing with our relationship with each other.
- Blessed are the merciful for they shall obtain mercy.
- Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God.
Peacemakers: Our most important relationships are those
within our own family. We must learn to love each other as our
selves.
Father, Mother and Children each one must learn
individually to love and develop our capacity to love.
I thrill to hear our little children say I Know that my
Mom and Dad love me. Then as they grow older they say I love my
family.
As parents we must teach our children obedience to the
laws and ordinances of the Gospel and the teachings of Jesus. The
first thing to be taught is love, unconditional love.
This is best taught by having it be absorbed from the
spirit and atmosphere of the home. At a very young age things are not
taught by word of mouth but are absorbed from their parents and those
around them.
Parents should not let this love degrade into a power
struggle between parent and child. Like having to count to three to
force obedience on every little issue.
Make it easy for children to obey by creating and
atmosphere of loving service.
To teach a horse to obey the reigns we do not jerk
viciously when the horse is unprepared or unable to obey. Gentle
persuasion when he is prepared will soon make obedience easy and
willingness a trait.
The Lord has counseled us to provoke not our children
to wrath.
Many times we do so unthinkingly. Fathers and Mothers
let us not practice unrighteous dominion. Remember each one is and
individual and deserves love and respect. This does not mean that we
should overindulge or be too lenient with our children but love,
firmness and constancy are necessary.
Especially parents should cooperate and not compete or
try to dominate each other. Husbands watch that you do not say or
indicate, "I am the Father I should be in charge and must be obeyed."
The Lord has taught that this is not right and it will not create love
or respect.
In a home filled with love and harmony, obedience will
come as a natural course of living together.
Mother Quail teaches obedience by having the little
ones obey the call to eat seeds and tender shoots of grass and weeds
at first. Then when an enemy approaches she gives the signal to hide
and lie still while she, through love, puts her life in danger by
faking a broken wing and painfully leading the enemy away from the
little ones. Failure to obey in this case by a little quail might mean
death. If our little ones learn disobedience and continue to disobey
their life and exaltation can be lost. If we obey in all things then
our example is absorbed by our little children in the home and becomes
part of their lives and attitude.
If we are peacemakers within our home and out we are
teaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ and we can find peace in our
lives.