Blessed Are The Peacemakers

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

Peace is an elusive thing. We all want it. We understand that life is better with it. So, if we want it and life is better with it, as my dad says... what is the hold up? Peace (or lack of it) in this world has a lot to do with self-interest. We want peace on our terms, so we negotiate with the enemy to tip the scales to our advantage. We might give up something unimportant in order to obtain what is important. Is this what Jesus is speaking of here? Is His idea of peace a negotiated settlement that leaves each side with something that they can claim as a victory? Is he calling on us to spend our lives negotiating peace settlements?

The New Testament term for peace is eirene and the Old Testament word is shalom. These terms do not carry the concept of an absence of conflict; it means much more that that. These words contain the idea of desiring positive good for others. In other words, it is the abandonment of self-interest and the active work for the benefit of the other person. This is no negotiated settlement and certainly is not the victory over an enemy that leaves them without defense. This peace is harmonious cooperation aimed at the welfare of all.

Jesus isn't saying here that those that love peace will be blessed. He isn't saying that blessing come to those that hope for peace, nor to those that avoid conflict. He is calling on His disciples to face their differences, their conflicts and overcome them. Barclay puts it this way... What this beatitude demands is not the passive acceptance of things because we are afraid of the trouble of doing anything about them, but the active facing of things, and the making of peace, even when the way to peace is through struggle.

He is calling on His followers to promote peace; peace with God and their fellow man. God is the ultimate peacemaker, having sent His Son to bring people back into a peaceful relationship with Him. (Romans 5:1-11; Ephesians 2:11-22) He is the God of peace. (Philippians 4:9; 1 Thessalonians 5: 23) If we are to follow Him, be His disciples, then we too must be busy bringing His peace to a world in conflict. Nothing else will do. Mankind has spent their entire history doing battle with each other over lands, wealth, race and religion. Only God has the solution to the problem. Only His kind of peace will ever break down the boundaries that separate us and cause conflict.

I love that He tells us that if we are this kind of people, peacemakers, then we will be called His children. In other words, the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. If God, our Father is bust making peace, we will be too. Like father, like sons and daughters. Imagine for a moment ... standing before Him on that Day and hearing Him say, "you are a peacemaker, you are my son... you are my daughter". Let's get busy making peace... between mankind and God and between each other. He promises true happiness to those that live just such lives.