Matthew 5:9

Blessed are the peacemakers,
    for they will be called children of God. – Matthew 5:9

Dear Jesus,

I’m starting to get just how important it is to you, the Father and the Holy Spirit that we, your people, have peace between us.  The angels sang “Peace on earth!” when you were born.  You were making peace between us and God the Father your whole life.  You want us to make peace between ourselves and others.  I’m more sinfully inclined to make a statement than peace.  It hurts others and I am sorry that I have done it so much.  Help me to be a peacemaker, to readily admit my faults, to refuse to argue just to be right, to murder my passive aggressive nature.  Give me the courage to reach out to those I know are annoyed by me, and to humble myself in apology to them.  I want their emotional welfare to be more important to me than my vindication.  Oh Jesus, free me from the desire to win over people to be one who wins them over with love. 

AMEN

Pastor Don Patterson

Making peace with someone erects a monument to grace in their heart.