Matthew 5:9

Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called sons of God.
(NIV)

As a child, I heard this passage more than any other in the Bible. My mother would quote the first part of this verse every time there was the smallest hint of a fight between me and my sister, or even between me and my friends.

"Blessed are the peacemakers..." she would say, and each of us would be forced, in our own minds, to reevaluate our actions toward each other. Were we actually making peace, or were we expecting peace to come to us? And so growing up I learned that one of the major goals, not just of sibling relationships, but of all relationships, is to be a maker of peace.

What I didn't know is the response to being a peacemaker. Those who see your peacemaking actions will recognize you as your Father's son. And they will say that they have seen a son of God.