The Beatitudes
10 Truths
Blessed are the peacemakers (Matthew 5:9).
Matthew's Beatitude 7
Matthew 5:4
Blessed are those who make peace because they will be called children of God.
The word “peacemakers” is only used here in the entire Bible. It is a combination of the words “peace” and “make, do, practice.” These are people who make, practice, and pursue peace.
These are not peace lovers like the hippies. They are not admirers of peace. They are people who put in the hard and dangerous work of making peace between two warring factions.
What is peace?
It’s important we understand what the goal is for us as we try to make peace between warring factions. The Bible describes peace not only as stopping the hostility but as wholeness, harmony, restoration, and reconciliation.
It isn’t about stopping the fighting. It is about restoring relationships, reconciling hostile parties, and bringing wholeness and harmony to people’s lives. That is why it is much harder than waving the white flag of surrender.
When you make peace, you bring God’s restoration to relationships. People do not just agree to disagree or agree to stop fighting with one another. They restore the relationship to the way it was before the conflict.
Reconciliation is the hardest of all goals. It requires both parties to put down their weapons, come to the table, desire peace, and work toward it. Hate is a strong and prevalent force in the human heart. It does not go away easily or give up its rights, sense of moral outrage, or desire to make others pay for what they have done.
Even harder is bringing people back to a place of wholeness and harmony. “Peace” in the Hebrew language has the idea of wholeness and harmony in relationships and the world. It is a return not only to civility but to productive and kind approaches between former enemies. The enemies are former because they cannot remain enemies if true peace is achieved.
That is the goal and task for every disciple of Jesus. You will not make peace easily between enemies. It requires a change of heart that only God can make possible. Only the Holy Spirit can lower the temperature, soften the rhetoric, and bring light to a dark situation.
Peace on two fronts
We look to make peace between people who are at odds, perhaps even to the point of attacking one another. The Bible speaks of people who are hostile toward God.
Since the beginning of the world, humanity has turned its back on God, even cursed Him, and all He wants to do is bring His creation back to Him. God even made the first step when He sent Jesus to die in our place.
Peace is part of God’s character (Romans 16:19; Hebrews 13:20). That is why true peace can only happen through Him and those who know Him. He offered peace to us. We had to accept Him and return that desire for wholeness, harmony, reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:20), and restoration. You can enjoy peace with God (Romans 5:1-2).
God does not force His way into our hearts. He knocks on the door and waits for us to let Him in (Revelation 3:20). He made the first move, and He waits for us. This is the work of the Holy Spirit in our relationship with Him. It is the first step to knowing God more, loving Him, and wanting to serve Him.
We also seek to make peace between people who fight one another. This is human-on-human warfare. The Bible says the heart is deceitful (Jeremiah 17:9). We cannot change hearts. But we can ask God to change them as we deliberate and mediate.
People have a reason to fight. Perhaps it is pride, selfishness, or spite. There are, I am sure, many more reasons to make enemies. It is easier to make enemies than to bring peace and make friends.
Enemies must choose to be open to peace. We will not make any headway until that becomes their desire. This is why Jesus makes those who make peace blessed. They are doing God’s work.
Peace at great cost
Making peace is dangerous. The one who stands between two boxers and holds arms out to keep them from tearing each other apart can personally experience attack from both parties.
Some scholars connect this beatitude about peacemakers with the next one, those who are blessed because they are persecuted. It suggests that we who make peace will personally suffer from both sides for our efforts.
Many people will give up on the notion of peace. We do it because we have received peace with God. We want God’s peace to rest on others. Is it worth it? Yes. There is blessing in making peace, and there is a beautiful result.
Called God’s children
Jesus states that the result of those who make peace will be recognition as God’s children. While this will certainly be the case in the future and in heaven, when people make peace with their enemies, they recognize your efforts.
Successful peacemaking comes with a good reputation. People may even seek you out in their situation. When you become a mediator of peace, those desperate for a change in their situation know you have a proven track record.
God recognizes peacemakers as His children. You are doing God’s work, and representing His character. He calls you blessed and His child.
Life Change
- Have you ever tried to make peace between people? How did it go? What did you learn from the experience?
- What have you suffered in your attempts to be a peacemaker?
- Have you ever thought about how much peacemaking resonates with God’s heart and character? How does that change your approach?
- What positive results and feedback have you received from successful peacemaking?
- Do you take the challenge to be an agent of peace and be a peacemaker to represent God in this world?