MR. BEATITUDE (Part Six)

The Seventh Beatitude: The Peacemakers

The next settlement on the road was a village. As Mr. Capable entered the village he noticed that the families on the opposite ends of the main street had large signs with big red letters painted on them. On the one side the signs read: No Haughtons! On the other side the signs read: No Scornworths!

Mr. Capable looked at the houses in the village and saw little signs, hanging on every door, with the same names written on them.

“The whole village is divided.” He said.

As Mr. Capable made his way past the first few houses, a man yelled,

“What are you! A dirty Scornworth!”

Mr Capable looked around. Then came another voice,

“If he was a Scornworth, his nose would be bigger!”

Mr. Capable stopped in the middle of the path. He was about to find another way around, but then another voice came through the shouting,

“Hey, come here!”

In the center of the village was a man who was sitting by a large fountain in the middle of the Main Street.

Mr. Capable saw him waving and sat next to him.

“What’s with the names and the nose jokes?” Mr. Capable asked.

“These people hate each other.” The man said. “Everyone in the town has picked their side.” The man pointed to the little signs hanging from the doors.

“What side are you on?” Mr. Capable asked.

“I know both sides,” the man said.

“I know what they’ve done to each other.” He looked around the village. A man was standing by his large sign and glaring at Mr. Capable. Men and women were standing at their doors and peeking out from behind their curtains.

“What’s your name?” The man asked.

“Mr. Capable. What’s yours?” Mr. Capable reached out his hand.

“Mr. Peacemaker.” He shook his hand.

“Let me ask you something, Mr. Capable. What makes peace?”

“Signs with red paint?” Mr. Capable laughed.

“Someone has to go first,” Mr. Peacemaker continued. “Someone has to cross the street. Someone has to say ‘I was wrong about some part of it’ before the other person says it, and without waiting to see if the other person will say it.” Mr. Peacemaker paused.

“Someone has to make the first move.”

Mr. Capable nodded.

“You think that will happen?” He asked.

“You ever meet the King?” Mr. Peacemaker asked.

“Not yet, but I’ve learned a lot about him.”

Mr. Peacemaker put his hand on Mr. Capable’s shoulder.

“The King calls peacemakers children of God. Do you know whose child you are Mr. Capable?”

Mr. Capable wasn’t sure how to answer or if he should answer.

“Um—“

“I know whose child I am.” Mr Peacemaker interrupted.

“My Father’s business is reconciliation. So, you asked will it happen?”

Mr. Peacemaker winked.

“I’m going to make the first move.”

Mr. Peacemaker shot from his seat.

“Wait.” Mr. Capable said. “How do I know if I’m a child of God?” He asked, his hand was fastened to Mr. Peacemaker’s sleeve.

“Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, Mr. Capable.”

“I don’t understand.” Mr. Capable said.

“No one born of God makes a practice of hatred.”

Mr. Capable let go of his sleeve.

“But how do I know?” Tears ran down his cheeks.

“You’re not far from answering that question.” Mr. Peacemaker patted him on his back and headed across the street.

Mr. Capable watched him approach the glaring man by his sign. Mr. Peacemaker appeared to ask the man a question and then listened. The man pointed across the street and threw up his hands. But Mr. Peacemaker gave him a hug.

Mr. Capable stayed long enough to see one of the men from that family cross the street on his own, for the first time in years, to speak to the other side.

“I wonder what started this whole thing?” Mr. Capable said.

He thought about the people in his own life he had never made peace with. He missed home. He missed his family and wanted to tell them everything he learned.

He left the village and walked on.

[To Be Continued…]