“How to turn a disagreement into a feud:

1. Be sure to develop and maintain a healthy fear of conflict, letting your own feelings build up so you are in an explosive frame of mind.
2. If you must state your concerns, be as vague and general as possible. Then the other person cannot do anything practical to change the situation.
3. Assume you know all the facts and you are totally right. The use of a clinching Bible verse is helpful. Speak prophetically for truth and justice; do most of the talking.
4. With a touch of defiance, announce your willingness to talk with anyone who wishes to discuss the problem with you. But do not take steps to initiate such conversation.
5. Latch tenaciously onto whatever evidence you can find that shows the other person is merely jealous of you.
6. Judge the motivation of the other party on any previous experience that showed failure or unkindness. Keep track of any angry words.
7. If the discussion should, alas, become serious, view the issue as a win/lose struggle. Avoid possible solutions and go for total victory and unconditional surrender. Don’t get too many options on the table.
8. Pass the buck! If you are about to get cornered into a solution, indicate you are without power to settle; you need your partner, spouse, bank, whatever.”

I read the list and could not help but laugh at the shrewd insight the authors offered on passive-aggressive conflict. Truthfully, most people can think of at least one person they know who display this type of behavior when it comes to disagreements.

I confess that it took me many years to understand and identify the passive-aggressive personality. I was raised in an environment highly influenced by the culture of southern Spain and Portugal. One of the characteristics of people that originate from the Iberian Peninsula in comparison to those of Anglo-Saxon origin, is their tendency to be direct and wear their feelings on their sleeves, so to speak. I never had to wonder how my mother felt. If someone disagreed with me, they simply told me so. We would sometimes fight, make peace, and, more often than not, forgive and forget.

Because of the culture I was brought up in, it took me a long time to learn how to identify passive-aggressive behavior. Truth is — I still have a hard time dealing with people who are hard to read.

Passive-aggressive individuals may seem peaceful and controlled on the outside, but truth is, deep down, anger, jealousy and contempt simmer like a volcano, ready to explode.
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“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.” Matthew 5:9

Jesus said these words in his longest sermon recorded in Scriptures: The Sermon of the Mount. While doing some research about the sermon for a paper I am currently writing, I came across interesting geological information about the Mount of Beatitudes. This mount is located on the Korazim Plateau — a volcanic plateau, located in northern Israel. I find it interesting that Jesus would give instructions about peace, purity and mercy, while his audience was sitting on a dormant volcano.

Think about the paradox of the imagery: Peace on the surface is not always a reflection of what lies deep within.

Peace on the surface is not always a reflection of what lies deep within. #MondayDevotional #MondayMotivation @AJC
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Indeed, throughout the sermon, Jesus called his Jewish audience to look past the outer aspects of religion, which were so widely revered at the time. This beatitude particularly teaches that seeking peace with others is a characteristic observed in those who have truly found peace with God.

Those who find peace with God seek peace with others. #MondayMotivation #MondayDevotional
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As funny as the “eight-step process on how to turn an argument into a feud” may be, it delivers a sobering reflection on the condition of one’s heart: Will we value pride over peace? Or will we choose to resolve our differences with honesty, clarity and humility?

This article was originally published in Patricia’s column for The Atlanta Journal Constitution on Saturday – March 2, 2019.

This article is Part 5 of the Sermon of the Mount Blog Series published in this blog. Read the other messages here:

Part 1 – The Most Challenging Sermon of All Time

Part 2 – The Heart of Christmas

Part 3 – Another Strange Blessing

Part 4 – The God-Shaped Hole

May we choose today to become peacemakers instead of peace-breakers, lest all our religious efforts be mocked, our influence shattered and our words … forgotten!
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The post Blessed Are the Peacemakers – The Sermon of the Mount Series {The Atlanta Journal Constitution} appeared first on Soaring With Him Ministries.

As Messiah started His longest sermon recorded in Scriptures, the first words spoke of comfort, and yet, their meaning must have been strange and puzzling to some.

Last week, in the second part of this blog series, we dove into the deep meaning of Jesus’ first beatitude: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven.” You can find that message by clicking HERE.

As He continues, Jesus talks about a concept that would have reminded His followers of words of prophets of old like Isaiah, Jeremiah and Zechariah:

“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.” Matthew 5:4

The Greek word for “blessed” here, makarios, is translated as “happy” and was used in pagan Greek literature to describe the state of happiness and well-being such as the gods enjoy. But in the beatitudes, makarios is given a strong spiritual content, containing a congratulatory concept, as a note in Weymouth’s New Testament suggests: ‘People who are blessed may outwardly be much to be pitied, but from the higher and therefore truer standpoint they are to be envied, congratulated, and imitated.’

Therefore, Jesus’ concept of happiness as expressed in the beatitudes transcends those things that make us smile and laugh. Jesus, the Man of Sorrows, invites His followers to experience the joy that is found by obeying the Father.

Jesus’ concept of happiness as expressed in the beatitudes transcends those things that make us smile and laugh. #Jesus, the Man of Sorrows, invites us to experience the joys of obedience.
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There are two concepts of mourning that need to be addressed to understand this beatitude:

The first one is intrinsically related to the first beatitude: “Blessed are the poor in spirit” … Mourners in this instance are those who, unlike the Pharisees, realize their unrighteousness, mourn for their sin, and express their mourning by repenting.

“All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away.” Isaiah 64:6

And again, as Paul quotes Psalm 14 and 53:

As it is written: “There is no one righteous, not even one;” Romans 3:10

These “blessed” mourners are Jesus’ followers who, realizing that their sin grieves the heart of the Father, repent and turn from them. These mourners will find the happiness of being comforted by Yahweh’s boundless forgiveness and grace.

Furthermore, these mourners mourn for the sins of others.

They have a zeal for the lost, and for sharing the Good News of salvation with the dying world around them.

I am so thankful for these types of mourners. They are like my youngest aunt, who, being the first person in my family who became a born-again believer, cried out to God for my salvation for many years. She was comforted… as God’s grace reached down, drawing me to repentance and salvation almost a decade later.

Are you that type of mourner?

Do you mourn for those in your family and friend circle who are lost? Do you weep before the Father, fully realizing what your loved one’s eternal destiny truly is, if they die without Christ?

Do you mourn for those in your family and friend circle who are lost? Do you weep before the Father, fully realizing what your loved one’s eternal destiny truly is, if they die without Christ?
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I confess that I do not mourn enough. Not as deeply as I should.

Jesus’ words convict and remind me that He still answer prayers for the salvation of others. Yes, He is faithful to comfort those type of mourners…

Just as He comforted me when I came to the cross, repentant … and filled me with the joy of His presence.

Or as He comforted me by saving my mom after seven years of prayers… and when my dad accepted Christ soon after that.

Or as He comforted me when my brother prayed to receive Christ during a devotional time with me in 1999, and when my best friend prayed to accept Jesus as her Savior, over the phone on December 22, 2002 – my Christmas gift that year.

Those who mourn for the lost will be comforted… and blessed.

The other concept of mourning implied in this beatitude is the promise of comfort for those faithful believers who suffer in this present age, nevertheless remaining faithful to the Father. These are the steadfast believers who go through the sorrows of life with unwavering faith.

The cancer patient whose doctor shakes his head when all human resources for cure are exhausted… and whose soul can soar above the bad report to sing: It is well with my soul…

The father who loses his job, draws the last unemployment check and still believes: Jehovah Jireh, my Provider, will come through…

Those mourners, who keep their eyes anchored on the Rock of Ages, will be comforted by the One who sat upon the Mount that day.

What a blessed promise! What a challenge to my heart today!

Mourn for your sins… mourn for the lost… mourn for your pain… for Jesus, the Grace Giver, promises to pour comfort and supernatural joy upon your weary soul

Mourn for your sins… mourn for the lost… mourn for your pain… for Jesus, the Grace Giver, promises to pour comfort and supernatural joy upon your weary soul.
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Join me next week for the continuation of The Sermon of the Mount Blog Series

The post Another Strange Blessing {The Sermon of the mount Blog Series – Part 3} appeared first on Soaring With Him Ministries.