I gave a talk August 13, 2006 on "Blessed Are the Peacemakers." At the time I prepared more information than I had time to present so this document covers more information than my talk. Also since then I have added to it and revised it a few times.
My theme is Matthew 5:9: Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God. (Also see 3 Nephi 12:9).
When I first started researching this topic it seemed like being a peacemaker was a fairly narrow subject. However the more research I did, the more I realized how broad this topic really is. Being a Peacemaker is a big part of what it means to be a Christian. Christ taught us that we need to forgive others, that we need to be loving and patient with each others. We are to live the golden rule. We are to turn the other cheek and love our enemies. If we do all these things we will truly become Christians.
Jesus gave the Beatitudes as part of the Sermon on the Mount. In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus taught the people how to go beyond the 10 Commandments and the law of Moses to a higher law. In the Sermon on the mount, Jesus taught what it is to be a Christian. As a higher law, being a true Christian is also harder than living the law of Moses. It is a lot easier not to kill than to love your enemies.
The ancient Prophets saw Christ's mission in vision. One of the names that Isaiah gives for the Messiah is "The Prince of Peace" For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6 or 2 Nephi 19:6. This powerful scripture is one that Handel included in his oratorio Messiah.
When we look out at the world we see the need for peace everywhere. There is strife and conflict at every level, between nations, within our own nation and communities and unfortunately too often even in our own homes. Virtually everyone wants peace, but unfortunately too many insist on having it on their own terms. As long as there are different people involved there will be differences of opinion. The challenge is to not let these differences of opinion grow into strife and conflict.
Often conflicts start small but are allowed to grow into something much bigger. If we feel that someone has treated us unkindly, the natural response is treat the other person unkindly in return. Then they will also retaliate in kind and the bad feelings will continue to grow. Often the original offense was not even intended, yet still the situation can grow to make enemies of former friends. Someone must turn the other check and refuse to retaliate to break the cycle.
The ultimate bad example of this situation is the Middle East. For thousands of years there has been a constant cycle of violence and revenge. The security situation today is so bad, that it is nearly impossible for a modern disciples of Christ to retrace the footsteps of the Prince of Peace.
In contrast consider the situation of the Mormon pioneers. They suffered many serious offenses and were driven from their homes in Kirtland, Missouri and Nauvoo. However, instead of seeking revenge they just moved on. It is not only the Mormon side that wanted to move on and forget the whole thing but others as well. There is a lady that works at the Family History Center who has an ancestor that was in the Missouri mob. She is not a member of the LDS Church, but is one of the most faithful works at the FHC. We have a number of non-members that serve faithfully at the FHC. Her ancestor who was in the mob was a young man at the time and just got caught up in what everyone else was doing. In later life he had regrets for being involved. We recently ordered a film for her with births and deaths information for Jackson County Missouri to help her do her genealogy. That is a wonderful outcome to have descendants of the mob working at the FHC and using the Church facilities to further their genealogical research.
Why can't the Middle East be more like the Mormon experience, since it is clearly the better way. I think the biggest difference is the idea of revenge. The Jewish tradition is an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. The Muslims have incorporated the idea of revenge into their culture, except they have renamed it as honor. It becomes the duty of the family members to honor the name of the family by taking revenge. They "honor" their ancestors by perpetuating violence.
Even closer to home we justify aggressive behavior by renaming it to something that sound nicer. Saying like "they are just getting what's due them," "they deserved it," "getting even" all are getting revenge. The idea of being assertive about our rights can easily degenerate into an excuse for being rude and overbearing. Even having to have the last word is a form of revenge.
We need to overcome the natural tendency to get even and to always have the last word. We need to overcome the natural man and become more Christlike.
For the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord, and becometh as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father. (Mosiah 3:19).
An object lesson that illustrates how easy it is to let your own rights and need overshadow those of others can be done with a couple of quarters. For this object lesson you will need a partner. You and your partner stand facing each other and each holding up one of the quarters. Who's quarter is bigger? Of course all quarters are the same size, but they don't look the same size. Your quarter is almost big enough to cover your partner's face, while his quarter is only about as big as his eye. As you move further apart or as you bring your quarter closer to you face it's size grows until it can completely block your partner from view. In order to see your partner you have to push your quarter to the side a bit and peer around it. The quarter represents our rights and needs. It is only natural that our own needs appear larger than the those of other people. The further we are emotionally from an other person or the more we become fixated on our own needs, the smaller other people's needs appear to us. We have to make a conscious effort to see past our own needs to see the needs of others.
Elder Russell M. Nelson (Ensign, Nov 2002, p. 39.) tells us "Peace can prevail only when that natural inclination to fight is superseded by self-determination to live on a loftier level. Coming unto Jesus Christ as the Prince of Peace."
Of course there are times when we have to fight, but that should be the exception not the rule. Even Jesus used force to remove the money changers from the temple. However Jesus didn't go around brow beating the people into repentance (even though they needed repentance), but instead invited the people to repent in love. He also showed his compassion by spending endless hours healing the people. If we aren't careful we can make enforcing our will the rule and turning the other cheek the exception. In D&C 82:1 we are told "Verily, verily, I say unto you, my servants, that inasmuch as you have forgiven one another your trespasses, even so I, the Lord, forgive you."
There are also many times when we can't find peace through no fault of our own. In these cases all we can do is turn to Christ and let His healing atonement bring us peace. Robert E. Wells of the Seventy, in a talk entitled "Peace" said:
As I was preparing for this occasion a man phoned. His priesthood leader had requested earlier that I accept his call. Desperately he pleaded, "We need to see someone. We just have to find some peace in our lives." There are probably as many different sources of personal strife and lack of peace as there are people. The roots might be in one's own life or in the life of a loved one. The causes can be sin, failure to live the commandments of God, selfishness, pride, lack of love, lack of commitment, lack of willingness to make sacrifices for others, or even just being an innocent victim. No matter what the reason, the solution to achieve peace is always the same: Turn to Christ; follow his example; repent of all transgressions. His command to the storm-tossed sea, "Peace, be still" (Mark 4:39), can also apply to his calming influence in our lives as we experience the buffetings of life's storms.
I really like the story of Jesus calming the sea. I didn't inherit any musical talent, but the rest of my family are musical. I remember some of them singing Master the Tempest is Raging as a special number in Sacrament Meeting. They even sang it in other wards. Whenever I hear the story, I can hear the music in my mind.
Mark 4:35 And the same day, when the even was come, he saith unto them, Let us pass over unto the other side.
36. And when they had sent away the multitude, they took him even as he was in the ship. And there were also with him other little ships.
37. And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full.
38. And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish?
After teaching the people all day Jesus was very tired and now had the opportunity to get some much needed rest. The disciples didn't need Jesus's help to sail across the sea of Galilee. They were experienced men of the sea having spent their lives as fishermen. I am sure they had been on the sea in a storm before, but this storm was different. It was more intense than anything they had ever seen before. They had exhausted all their skills as seamen, and still it wasn't enough. They needed Jesus to save them.
I think this story fits very well with the conditions we find ourselves in. We think we are in control of our lives, but then a challenge comes up that makes us realize that we are about to sink. We can then reach out and plead with our Lord as did His disciple's of old "carest thou not that we perish?" and he is there to calm the seas for us.
Mark 4:39 And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.
It would be nice if the Lord would always remove the sources of stress in our lives, but more often He helps us through our trials by giving us inner peace. He sends the Holy Ghost to comfort us. Jesus told His disciples that He would be leaving them but He would send the Comforter or the Holy Ghost to be with them. Then He said: "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." (John 14:27)
I bare my testimony that as we reach out to the "Prince of Peace" he will help us find peace. He will give us the understand to change the things that can be changed in our lives and the inner peace to endure the trials that must be endured.
2 Thessalonians 3:15-16 The Lord is a Lord of peace. 1 Corinthians 14:33 "God is not the author of confusion, but of peace." James 3:16-18 Guidance from the Lord brings gentleness and peace. Psalm 119:165 Those that love the Lord's law will have peace. 2 Nephi 3:11-12 The Bible and the Book of Mormon will help bring peace to the children of Israel.
Luke 2:12-14 When the heavenly host appeared to the shepherds at Christ's birth they declared "peace, good will toward men." Luke 19:37-38 When Jesus road in triumph into Jerusalem one of the things the people declare was "peace in heaven."
Matthew 22:35-40 The second great commandment is to love thy neighbor as thy self. Proverbs 29:8 A "wise men turn away wrath." Romans 14:17-19 We are to follow after the things that bring peace. 1 Peter 3:10-11 Speak no guile and seek peace. Mosiah 4:13 We are to live peaceable with others. Romans 12:14-21 and Hebrews 12:14-15 Seek peace with all men. Mark 9:50 "Have peace one with another." Psalm 34:13-14 and Zechariah 8:16 We are to seek peace.
1 Timothy 2:2-3 Those that are in authority should help the people live peaceably. 2 Corinthians 13:11 Paul tells the Corinthians to live in peace with each other. Mosiah 27:3-4 In the days of Mosiah there was a strict commandment there should be no persecutions within the Church. That has been true always, just that it is mentioned at this time. 2 Timothy 2:22-26 The servants of the Lord should be gentle and patient to preserve peace.
Matthew 18:21-22 We are to forgive till 7 time 70 (always). Mark 11:25-26 To be forgiven we need to forgive others. D&C 88:123-126 "Cease to find fault one with another." Matthew 7:1-2 "Judge not, that ye be not judged."
D&C 98:33-36 and D&C 105:38-40 The Lord's people should try peace before proclaiming war. D&C 98:16-17 "Renounce war and proclaim peace." Alma 24:19 The converted Lamanites buried their weapons of war for peace. Matthew 5:38-48 "Love your enemies"
Genesis 26:29-31 Abimelech and Isaac made a covenant of peace. Alma 13:17-18 Melchizedek established peace in his kingdom.
Words of Mormon 1:16-18 King Benjamin with the help of the prophets established peace in his land. Mosiah 29:14 and Mosiah 29:40 Mosiah worked all his days to have peace in his kingdom. Alma 46:12-13 On the Title of Liberty Moroni included "our peace."
2 Nephi 26:9 Nephi prophecies that after Christ comes to the Nephites their will be peace for three generations. 4 Nephi 1:2-4 and 4 Nephi 1:15-20 After Christ appeared to the people in America there was peace in the land for 200 years.
Ephesians 2:12-22 The gospel brings different people together in peace through Christ. D&C 59:23 The righteous receive a reward of peace in this world. Psalm 37:37 The upright and righteous man will have peace in his old age. Proverbs 16:7 "When a man's ways please the Lord, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him."
Psalm 29:11 "The Lord will bless his people with peace." 1 Nephi 20:18 The righteousness can have peace as a river. 1 Nephi 13:37, Mosiah 15:14-18 and Isaiah 52:7 How beautiful upon the mountain are the feet of them that publish peace.
Psalm 122:6-9 The House of the Lord brings peace to the city.
D&C 45:65-71 The New Jerusalem will be a land of peace.
Isaiah 11:9, Isaiah 65:25, Hosea 2:18 and D&C 101:25-28 The Millennium will be a time of peace. Isaiah 2:4, Micah 4:3 and 2 Nephi 12:4 During the Millennium people will not learn war anymore.
2 Nephi 4:27-29 The devil wants to destroy our peace. D&C 1:35 In the last days peace will be taken from the earth.
Psalm 28:3 The wicked speak peace to their neighbors but have mischief in their hearts.
Luke 1:79 Zacharias prophecies that John the Baptist will "guide our feet into the way of peace."
D&C 134:1-2 The only way that governments can have peace is if they protect people in their individual rights.
D&C 134:8 For the peace of the society all men should help bring offenders to justice.