02 December 2005 Devotion for Today "Peacemakers" Matthew 5:9
Bill Collins is a peacemaker. An African-American pastor in a
traditionally white Southern Baptist congregation in
it has not been easy for him. He is seen in the struggle trying to
get the elderly white congregation to accept the African-American
style of worship while appealing to the African American community to
worship in the same building that at one time excluded them. He has
hit discouragement head-on, even to the point of facing ill health,
but at the same time, he has found God there. As an active part of the
civil rights movement, this distinguished, retirement age preacher has
not thought of this, and has dedicated his life to being an agent of
the Prince of Peace where peace and harmony does not naturally exist.
Jesus said, "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the
children of God." Peacemakers are not always highly thought of. There
are times that they are despised by their own as much as they are their
opponents. Peacemakers are often times caught in the middle, and beat
up on by boths sides of contentious and hostile issues. Yet Jesus
commends them- not because they want to be a savior- but because they
bring the Savior to conflict where otherwise terror would reign. They
help others to see that there will be no peace with one's fellow man
until peace with God is dealt with first. God calls them His children.
May this family increase! Have a blessed day!
Rev. Jeffery C. Russell
Elizabeth City, NC
jefferyrussell@earthlink.net
website: http://25621.lifewaylink.com
http://jeffrussellsblog.blogspot.com
http://devotionfortoday.blogspot.com/
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