I find myself writing this on a beautiful sky blue day, sun shining and a gentle soft breeze – the garden and flowers are reflecting the beauty of this lovely Wednesday, 23 August 2006. I could easily think that the peaceful view through my window extends across the world. Yet, as we all know, this world is in turmoil – it’s full of darkness, terror and tears in many areas. We spend another day considering Selwyn’s thoughts on the beatitude: ‘Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God’ (Matthew 5:9).
His first point is good: “It is important to note that when Jesus said, ‘Blessed are the peacemakers’, He did not say, Blessed are the peacekeepers‘. Peacekeepers, … , attempt to maintain peace at any price. Peacemakers are not content until they have got to the roots of an issue and resolved the underlying problems. Peacemakers actively overcome evil with good.
 … Peacemakers are active makers of peace; they go out of their way to reconcile. They use their influence to end party strife and bring together those opposed to one another. Through their efforts they change hostile attitudes to happy attitudes.”
Selwyn talks about the Peanuts catoons – written by Charles Schulz (died Feb 12 , 2000), and recalls one in ”which Lucy explodes in a fit of temper and shouts, ‘I hate everyhting. I hate everybody. I hate the whole world.’  Charlie Brown retorts, “But I thought you had inner peace.’ In reply, Lucy explains, ‘Yes, but I also have outer obnoxiousness.’ Inner peace and outer obnoxiousness cancel one another out. It is not the Christian way.”
I think that the reading for today (Romans 14:13-23), contains an important point in regard to ensuring that our own actions do not disturb the peace. Verses, 13 to 19,  are as follows: “Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in your brother’s way. As one who is in the Lord Jesus, I am fully convinced that no food is unclean in itself. But if anyone regards something as unclean, then for him it is unclean. If your brother is distressed because of what you eat, you are no longer acting in love. Do not by your eating destroy your brother for whom Christ died. Do not allow what you consider good to be spoken of as evil. For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteous peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and approved by men. Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification.”
It’s clear that we must be alert to the possibility that our actions, which appear okay to ourselves, may cause another to stumble – and, in such cases because we love our brother or sister with the same love that Jesus has for us – we maintain peace within our Christian community by avoiding the actions that cause the problem with our brother – it’s an act of self sacrifice on our part. Do you agree with this view?
‘Outer obnoxiousness’
I find myself writing this on a beautiful sky blue day, sun shining and a gentle soft breeze – the garden and flowers are reflecting the beauty of this lovely Wednesday, 23 August 2006. I could easily think that the peaceful view through my window extends across the world. Yet, as we all know, this world is in turmoil – it’s full of darkness, terror and tears in many areas. We spend another day considering Selwyn’s thoughts on the beatitude: ‘Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God’ (Matthew 5:9).
His first point is good: “It is important to note that when Jesus said, ‘Blessed are the peacemakers’, He did not say, Blessed are the peacekeepers‘. Peacekeepers, … , attempt to maintain peace at any price. Peacemakers are not content until they have got to the roots of an issue and resolved the underlying problems. Peacemakers actively overcome evil with good.
 … Peacemakers are active makers of peace; they go out of their way to reconcile. They use their influence to end party strife and bring together those opposed to one another. Through their efforts they change hostile attitudes to happy attitudes.”
Selwyn talks about the Peanuts catoons – written by Charles Schulz (died Feb 12 , 2000), and recalls one in ”which Lucy explodes in a fit of temper and shouts, ‘I hate everyhting. I hate everybody. I hate the whole world.’  Charlie Brown retorts, “But I thought you had inner peace.’ In reply, Lucy explains, ‘Yes, but I also have outer obnoxiousness.’ Inner peace and outer obnoxiousness cancel one another out. It is not the Christian way.”
I think that the reading for today (Romans 14:13-23), contains an important point in regard to ensuring that our own actions do not disturb the peace. Verses, 13 to 19,  are as follows: “Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in your brother’s way. As one who is in the Lord Jesus, I am fully convinced that no food is unclean in itself. But if anyone regards something as unclean, then for him it is unclean. If your brother is distressed because of what you eat, you are no longer acting in love. Do not by your eating destroy your brother for whom Christ died. Do not allow what you consider good to be spoken of as evil. For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteous peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and approved by men. Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification.”
It’s clear that we must be alert to the possibility that our actions, which appear okay to ourselves, may cause another to stumble – and, in such cases because we love our brother or sister with the same love that Jesus has for us – we maintain peace within our Christian community by avoiding the actions that cause the problem with our brother – it’s an act of self sacrifice on our part. Do you agree with this view?