“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.  Matthew 5:9

Pennies…

She is counting pennies…

“17…”

“18…”

“19…”

“The total is eight dollars and 82 cents,” says the clerk…

“I think I have the 82 cents,” she replies, and keeps counting…

“20…”

“21…”

“22…”

I am behind her in the checkout line…

“50…”

“51…”

“52…”

Of course, I keep my thoughts hidden…

Or so I think.

She looks up …

We make eye contact.

“Oh,” she says.  “I’m sorry.  Am I holding you up?””

She goes back to counting..

“70…”

“71…”

“72….”

“Uh, oh,” she says to the clerk.   “It looks like I don’t have enough pennies.”

“But here’s a ten-dollar bill.”

Why didn’t she just give him the ten-dollar bill in the first place?

I am in a hurry.

Why?

I have no idea.

This incident happened a few years ago.

I was always in a hurry then…

And if somebody slowed me down…

I began thinking certain thoughts…

Certain not-so-charitable thoughts…

Thoughts about the importance of my agenda…

Thoughts about my own importance…

…Do not be proud…Do not be conceited. Romans 12:16

Anxiety over my to-do list left no room for peace in my soul…

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.  Philippians 4:6

 And when I heard the verse about peacemakers …

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.  Matthew 5:9

I thought of  presidents…

I thought of international diplomats…

Totally missing the verses calling for all of us to be peacemakers …

Strive for peace with everyone…  Hebrews 12:14

If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Romans 12:18

This story actually happened a few years ago…

I wish I could say that today I strew peace around me wherever I go like rose petals at a wedding.

That, of course, is not true.

So when I sew discord instead of peace…

I do the only thing possible…

Turn my mind toward God…

You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.  Isaiah 26:3

Pray for the peace Jesus promised…

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.  John 14:27

And Wonder…

Would we need professional peacemakers if each of us followed Jesus’s words?

… ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’… Mark 12:31