Sea of Galilee

Grace is a loving response when love is undeserved, and mercy is a loving response prompted by the misery or hopelessness of the one to be loved. Showing mercy to others is coming to the aid of the needy. What we do to others, God will do to us. The one who is unmerciful is unaware of his own state, of his own need for mercy (Luke 18:10ff).

The pure in heart don’t just conform to outward rules. “But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person. For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander. These are what defile a person.” (Matthew 15:18-20a ESV) The pure in heart ask the awkward questions (as Don Carson puts it): how do I deceive others? what motivates me? am I laughing at crude and irreverent matters? what am I watching on TV? The pure in heart are single-minded in their commitment to God, with whole-hearted service to God. “And everyone who thus hopes in him [God] purifies himself as he is pure.” (1 John 3:3 ESV)

The peacemakers are not the peaceful or those who desire peace; they are people who establish peace within the world. How best do we establish peace in the world? How did Jesus establish peace? Jesus reconciled men and women with God through his perfect life and his sacrifice on the cross. Maybe our act of peacemaking in this world is to proclaim the good news, the gospel. Not only that, but we who have experienced God’s peace which passes all understanding should also help reconcile one person with another. Paul asked the church in Philippi to help Euodia and Syntyche to agree in the Lord (Philippians 4:2-3). We should reflect our heavenly Father’s wonderful peace-making character.