“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.” – Matthew 5:9 NIV

I have had something lying heavily on my heart. There is so much strife in our world right now. It seems everyone is at each other’s throats. When we should be pulling together to face our significant challenges, we are pulling apart.

There is strife in marriages. There is strife in families. There is strife between citizens. There is strife between races. My doctor just shared how shocked he is at how nasty some of his patients have become with him. Strife between patients and doctors! Strife between workers and management. There is even strife in our churches. People of faith called to be unified in Christ are pulling apart over politics, vaccines, and opinions on other social matters.

Strife!

The antidote to strife is peace. The Greek word for peace in the New Testament means more than the absence of fighting. εἰρήνη (eirēnē) has its root in the word “to join.” Peace means to bring together. To make whole. To be healthy. This undoubtedly has its origins in the Hebrew word שָׁלוֹם (šålom, or shalom), which brings the same depth of meaning. Jesus said that in his kingdom, peacemakers are blessed. Peacemakers will be called children of God (Matthew 5:9).

If you are a Jesus follower, a Christian, you are called to be a peacemaker. Not a peacekeeper. A peacekeeper does whatever he can to keep everyone happy. A peacekeeper just does not want anyone to be upset. But a peacemaker is someone who might say weighty, difficult things to bring about the changes needed to bring peace.

We need to be peacemakers. In this world of strife, more than ever, the children of God need to be bringing peace. Peace to broken lives. Peace to broken marriages. Peace to broken families. Peace to broken relationships.

So how do we do that? Here are some things from scripture that I have found that show the way.

Peace comes from being right with God and living right with God by his Holy Spirit.

In his letter to the Galatians, Paul describes two kinds of people in explaining the good news that God has made a way for us to be right with Him through faith in Jesus. For instance, in Galatians 5:19, he says that the person who does not live right with God can be identified by his deeds.

“Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.” – Galatians 5:19–21 NASB

Notice those words I have underlined. All descriptions of strife, division, things that pull us apart. Of the 15 things Paul says are characteristics of not living right with God, 8 are things that do not bring peace between people.

Then Paul describes what the fruit of living right for God through the presence and power of the Holy Spirit looks like with these words:

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. Let us not become boastful, challenging one another, envying one another.” – Galatians 5:22-26 NASB

Peace is a fruit of the Spirit. It is a result of being at peace with God through faith in Jesus. It is also a characteristic of the person who lives by the Spirit. The person who submits daily to the leadership of Jesus. The person who learns his Word to live by his Will. Keeping in step with the Spirit, as Pauls says, means being a peacemaker.

Being a peacemaker requires wisdom. The wisdom that only God can provide.

James makes a direct connection between godly wisdom and peace. He says:

“But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness.” – James 3:17-18 NIV

This is the same wisdom that he says we are to ask for in faith. What is wisdom? Wisdom means skill. It is the ability to apply the truth to the complexities of life to bring good results. It is doing the right thing, in the right way, at the right time, for the right results. Practically speaking, when dealing with strife, the challenge is navigating through difficult, complex, and emotional situations. When we get emotional, we don’t think rationally. When we get emotional, we tend not to be open to listening. To be a peacemaker means being about to navigate all those high emotions and hurts and complexities in a way that will bring help, healing, and happiness.

Being a peacemaker requires making a courageous commitment.

Paul encourages members of the church to give themselves to being peacemakers.

“Let us, therefore, make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification.” – Romans 14:19 NIV

“Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace…” – Ephesians 4:3 NIV

How much effort are you giving to being a peacemaker in all the things you work at in your walk with Christ? Is being a peacemaker one of your daily faith goals? Is it a regular request in your prayers? How much time, energy, and resources do you give to being a peacemaker?

Paul says that being a peacemaker needs to be one of the top things we focus on as Jesus followers. It needs to be one of the top things we do as members of his church. This world of strife needs peacemakers. It is how the light of Jesus can shine brightly in this ever-darkening world. Be a peacemaker.

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.” – Matthew 5:9 NIV