Peacemakers

Are you familiar with the name Benjamin Rush? Although not so well known in modern times, in his day he was quite famous. A Philadelphia doctor, Rush pioneered "shock treatments" and other ways of dealing with the mentally ill, and he was among the first to recognize them as diseased, taking their treatment out of the hospital cellars known as "snakepits."

In addition to his medical fame, Dr. Rush was greatly involved in the American Revolution. He was editor and publisher of Thomas Paine's Common Sense, the pamphlet which stirred up the colonies as much as any other. Appointed to the Continental Congress, he was one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence. Later, he would serve in the admistration of John Adams, America's second president.

Benjamin Rush's legacy, however, lies neither in the medical field nor the political. One accomplishment stands out in his life above all others. Late in Adams term, the president's political disagreements with his old, dear friend Thomas Jefferson became so sharp that the two ceased all contact and correspondence after Jefferson's victory over Adams in 1801. Years went by and these two, who had previously been constant correspondents, failed to set aside their differences.

Finally, in 1809, Benjamin Rush began to gently urge a reconciliation, beginning first with Adams. By 1811, he had begun to work on Jefferson as well. Finally, in 1812, the ice was broken by a letter from Adams to Jefferson. The two began to correspond once again, and their friendship remained until both died on July 4, 1826, the fiftieth anniversary of the Republic they had helped build.

Jesus said, "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God" (Matt. 5:9). Clearly, we recognize the importance of peacemakers in our world, whether it be the rejoining of old friends as in the story above, or the joining of nations once at war. But Jesus had in mind a more compelling kind of peacemaking.

Peace is needed between man and God, for sin has broken the peace which once existed there. All men have sinned (Rom. 3:23), thus all find themselves separated from God and His blessings. What is needed is reconciliation between God and man.

Fortunately, God has done what we could not, in that He has provided the means of reconciliation (Eph. 2:14-16). By sending His only Son to earth to be sacrificed for our sins, God has given us opportunity to be reconciled to Him. Those of us who have obeyed His gospel in baptism have partaken of that reconciliation.

But God's reconciliation does not end there. There is a world of people who have not partaken of His reconciliation, who in fact, are not even aware that such reconciliation is possible. Here is our task. Jesus said, "Do you not say, 'There are yet four months, and then comes the harvest'? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes, and look on the fields, that they are white for harvest" (Jn. 4:35).

Our work is in the field of reconciliation. Paul, after stating that new things had come, says, "Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ, and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation" (2 Cor. 5:18-19). It is our duty to try to bring others into the peace we have found. There is no greater work for us than to seek and save the lost, for there is no other work which causes rejoicing both on earth and in heaven (Lk. 15:7, 10, 32).

The task is not difficult, because it simply involves telling others about the joy we have found. The example of Andrew comes to mind, for before he set about following Jesus, "He found first his own brother Simon, and said to him, 'We have found the Messiah'" (Jn. 1:41). Andrew could not wait to share the joy he had found, and we should be so characterized. Paul says again, "Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were entreating through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God" (2 Cor. 5:20).

On earth, we honor those who seek peace between man and man, and rightly so. But in heaven, the honor is for those who seek peace between man and God. Their honor is great: "They shall be called sons of God."