BUILDING BRIDGES.

[Jesus said,] "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of G.o.d."

MATTHEW 5:9.

CONFLICT IS SO COMMON in our culture that we barely notice it anymore. But simmering anger soon turns into destructive bitterness, hatred, and the desire to take revenge, which destroy relationships. Some of us use more subtle means to hurt others. We put them down, and when they challenge us, we say, "Hey, I was only kidding!" Yeah, right.

In conflict, some of us clench our fists, raise our voices, make demands, and try to intimidate people. Others look down to avoid eye contact, barely mumble above a whisper, and give in to stop the argument. Neither of these poses, though, builds bridges of trust and understanding.

A peacemaker is someone who treasures relationships based on mutual respect and works hard to help people take steps in that direction. In some cases, a simple misunderstanding can be resolved fairly easily, but long-standing, deep wounds take time and attention to heal. Gradually, suspicion turns to understanding, and bitterness gives way to forgiveness.

When we've benefited from a peacemaker who stepped in to build bridges between us and someone we've despised, we are amazed and grateful for the peacemaker's work. Peacemakers are, indeed, "sons of G.o.d," who follow the pattern of the Prince of Peace by offering hope, trust, and relief to people whose relationships have been shredded by hatred.

How has conflict affected your stress levels, your happiness, and your relationships?

Where and how might you be a peacemaker to build bridges between people in conflict?

"The meek man will attain a place of soul rest. As he walks on in meekness, he will be happy to let G.o.d defend him. The old struggle to defend himself is over. He has found a peace which meekness brings."-A. W. TOZER

MARCH 9.

SLAMMED.

[Jesus said,] "Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."

MATTHEW 5:10.

JESUS TAUGHT this beat.i.tude early in His career, but perhaps He was already thinking about the last week of His life, when He would be killed by religious leaders who felt threatened by His life and teachings. Jesus told those who followed Him, "A disciple is not above his teacher" (Matthew 10:24). Those who follow Jesus can expect to be attacked by people who feel threatened by the truth.

Today, thousands of believers around the world experience severe beatings, imprisonment, and even death because they stand up for Christ. In our culture, our lives are seldom threatened, but we may suffer ridicule when we stand up for righteousness' sake. What does this look like? A man refuses to pad his expense account as his coworker does. When both are asked about the difference in their reimburs.e.m.e.nt request, the truth comes out. The other employee begins a smear campaign against the one who refused to lie. A woman won't join in when her friends insist on gossiping, only to be ridiculed by those she cares about. A young single man is still a virgin when he's twenty-seven years old, and he feels as if he's the only virgin left. A man insists on paying his full share of taxes, while his brother skimps a little bit here and there. The examples are almost endless. When we choose to do right for Christ's sake, many will cheer, but some will ridicule us unmercifully.

For the second time in this hillside message, Jesus promises "the kingdom of heaven" to those who follow His example. In this case, He tells us that when we are ridiculed-or worse-for following Him, we will experience His presence, peace, and strength. The price of obedience is sometimes steep, but the reward is sweet.

Have you or someone you know ever been ridiculed for doing the right thing? Describe the experience.

Based on this pa.s.sage, is it worth it to be persecuted for Christ's sake? Why or why not?

"If you haven't met Satan face to face, it's because you are running in the same direction."-ZIG ZIGLAR

MARCH 10.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT . . .

[Jesus said,] "Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you."

MATTHEW 5:11-12.

DOING THE RIGHT THING no matter what others may do to you must be an important point, because Jesus goes back a second time to address the issue of persecution for believers. This time, He elaborates on the types of attacks we may experience when we follow Him. We may be reviled, evil things may be said about us, and we may be falsely accused when we stand strong in our faith. Make no mistake: Jesus didn't promise a walk in the park. Other times, He warned His followers that their enemies would become enraged by their message and try to kill them!

Jesus wasn't kidding. The history of the church tells us that all the original disciples died as martyrs. James was killed with a sword, Peter was crucified upside down, and John died in exile. In the Gospel of John, he tells us that people "loved darkness" (see John 3:19-20). In fact, they loved it so much that they hated people who shined as G.o.d's light. In our culture, people still love darkness as much as ever, but often they ignore us instead of actively attacking us.

In the Old Testament, Moses and the other prophets were sometimes mocked and hated for bringing G.o.d's message to the people. In today's verse, Jesus compares their sacrifice for G.o.d with the sacrifice we make when we stand up for Him today. Our reward, too, parallels the one the prophets received, and for that, we can be thrilled.

For some of us, the blessing of rewards for being persecuted seems foreign and, to be honest, really bizarre. It's just not our experience. If you have stood strong for Christ but escaped persecution, be thankful, and realize that today men and women around the globe experience severe treatment because they stand up for Christ.

What does it mean to you that Jesus compared us to the Old Testament prophets?

In this pa.s.sage, Jesus promised great reward for our faith. What do you think He meant?

"The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy."-MARTIN LUTHER KING JR.

MARCH 11.

INCREASE YOUR POWER.

[The Lord] gives power to the weak, and to those who have no might He increases strength.

ISAIAH 40:29.

THE CHRISTIAN LIFE-and especially the nature of spiritual growth-is a paradox: To grow strong, we have to admit our weaknesses. This paradox may seem odd, but it permeates the life and teaching of Christ. He was Almighty G.o.d, who became a helpless infant. He was the Ruler of the universe who allowed sinful people to kill Him. He told His followers that to become great they needed to become servants of all (see Matthew 20:26).

Most people spend their lives trying to avoid weakness in every area of life, and when they feel most vulnerable, they try to act powerful to fool people. For those who follow Christ, though, the unwillingness to admit weakness is a serious flaw that short-circuits G.o.d's transforming power. Honesty about our weaknesses may threaten us, but it opens the door to G.o.d's liberating truth, stunning freedom, and real change.

We can learn the habit of being honest with G.o.d about our weaknesses, but most of us are honest only in a crisis. At a point where we have tried everything else and failed, we're finally ready to admit we need G.o.d's help. We admit we are weak, and we trust in G.o.d's guidance and strength. When the crisis is over, though, many of us go back to trusting in ourselves. Real growth comes when we can admit, every day, "Lord, I need your wisdom and strength in these situations today. Please help me." And He will.

How is admitting our weaknesses the doorway to experiencing G.o.d's strength?

What are some areas of weakness in your life today?

"G.o.d uses men who are weak and feeble enough to lean on Him."-HUDSON TAYLOR "G.o.d did not promise us a trouble free, griefless life. He did promise us that all our sins and griefs He would bear, if we would take them to the Lord in prayer."-ZIG ZIGLAR

MARCH 12.

TRUST IS A MUST.

Let all those rejoice who put their trust in You; let them ever shout for joy, because You defend them; let those also who love Your name be joyful in You.

PSALM 5:11.

SOMETIMES, THE STRESSES and struggles of life take their toll on our emotions and on our outlook. We never intend for it to happen, but gradually, our sense of joy is washed away in a sea of demands and conflicts. King David experienced the pressures of leadership, but even in the middle of these pressures, he found great joy in his relationship with G.o.d.

In Psalm 5, David reports that he endured the lies of "bloodthirsty and deceitful" men who made themselves his enemies. He couldn't trust them, but he realized he could put his life in the hands of a good and kind G.o.d who loved him.

To David, G.o.d wasn't just a cosmic principle or a distant deity to be worshiped during certain times of the week in order to conform his life to a religious pattern. No, G.o.d was a person-a wonderful, trustworthy person he could delight in. David deeply appreciated G.o.d's deliverance and His wisdom. In response to G.o.d's personal intervention and care, David voiced the response of all believers who are thrilled with G.o.d: We "shout for joy"!

Our task is to turn our struggles into steps toward G.o.d instead of away from Him. We all experience difficulties at home and at work (or in David's case, in running the kingdom), but if we turn our gaze toward G.o.d, we'll find Him to be a rock we can stand on in those times of stress. When we realize that He genuinely cares, we, too, will shout for joy.

Whom do you know whose relationship with G.o.d becomes stronger during times of struggle?

What about G.o.d's love, care, and provision causes you to shout for joy?

"Courage is nothing more than fear that said its prayers this morning."-ADRIAN ROGERS

MARCH 13.

HOW TO SEE CLEARLY.

The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes.

PSALM 19:8.

IT'S THE STRANGEST THING: Millions of Christians say they really want to be wise in their decisions. They want to follow G.o.d in their personal lives, jobs, and families and to experience G.o.d's blessings, but they often fail to do the one thing G.o.d promises will give them that wisdom: soak up the truths in His Word.

People who devour G.o.d's truth (and that's the image we get from Jeremiah 15:16, NLT) gradually develop a new set of eyes, one that sees beyond the tangible to the eternal. But that doesn't mean they're clairvoyant. They can't see into the future or know exactly what G.o.d is doing all the time. Rather, they gain insight about the ways and the will of G.o.d. They aren't shocked when roadblocks occur, because they've learned that G.o.d often uses detours to redirect them. They don't pout when G.o.d doesn't answer their prayer, because they know G.o.d sometimes has a different agenda that is much bigger than theirs. And they aren't caught off guard when people disappoint them, because they have more insight about the selfishness that's in their own hearts too.

Learning to see through the lens of Scripture takes time and effort, but most of us gladly expend time and effort on a host of other activities that promise far less. A writer once asked, "Do you spend as much time in G.o.d's Word as you spend reading the newspaper?" Today we might ask, "Do we spend as much time reading Scripture as we do watching YouTube or checking weather or sports online?"

Is having G.o.d "enlighten your eyes" attractive to you or just ho-hum? Explain your answer.

What would feasting on G.o.d's truth look like in your life?

"Read G.o.d's Word daily and get ready-you are about to experience the life you can't wait to live." -ZIG ZIGLAR

MARCH 14.

THE HARDEST WORD TO HEAR.