🌈🌟What Does the Phrase 'Blessed Are the Peacemakers' Mean?
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus lists the blessings that await those who live their lives in a certain way. Jesus addresses the peacemakers in particular by saying, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God”.
A peacemaker is someone who emulates Jesus — called the Prince of Peace — by working to reconcile people with God and with each other.
Peacemaking, as such, requires taking the initiative to build bridges between the parties at odds especially when you are one of the offended parties.
What disrupts peace
If you were to google antonyms to peace you would come up with some of the following words. “Altercation, argument, war, animosity, antagonism, unrest, worry, fighting, hate.”
The scriptures imply that the cause of these things is selfishness. When we have desires that are supposed to be met in God but instead we look outside him to fill them we are led into all sorts of unrest internally, with each other and with God.
“What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have it because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.” James 4:1-3
Peacemaking is the natural progression of mercy and Grace
Our call to be peacemakers is trifold in the areas mentioned above, it is a natural progression to living inline with God’s commands to be forgiving, selfless, merciful, gracious and compassionate. These qualities stem from the very nature of God, the nature that we are beckoned to mirror.
Our natural tendency is to want an eye for an eye type of society. We are ok living in peace with people deserving of our love but when someone does something mean to us our natural response is to respond back in retribution and retaliation. If you didn’t catch the correlation, responding to agitation with retaliation would make you the opposite of a peacemaker.
The scriptures paint a picture in stark contrast to what we would wish they said.
“You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye and tooth for tooth. But I tell you not to resist an evil person. If someone slaps you on your right cheek, turn to him the other also; if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well; and if someone forces you to go one mile go with him two miles. Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.
You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor' and ‘Hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Do not even tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even Gentiles do the same?
Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” Luke 6:27–36
What Does the Bible Say about Peace and Peacemakers?
1. Achieving peace requires taking action to promote harmony.
2. In working towards peace, peacemakers reconcile people with God and with each other
3. Peacemakers build bridges between unbelievers and God through the ministry of reconciliation.
4. Peacemakers build bridges between people in discord with each other.
5. Peacemaking is a natural outflow of mercy and grace.
Helping people come into peace with God
“Jesus laid down His life to make peace between God and sinners, and when we can carry that message of peace to others, we are peacemakers. God delights in those who reconcile others to Himself—those who bring the gospel are “beautiful” (Isaiah 52:7)
God “reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation” (2 Corinthians 5:18)
A peacemaker actively works toward peace. Whether it's to provide peace between two people or two nations, our world is in much need of those who represent the heart of God to bring peace to broken relationships. Those who assist in such efforts will find joy in the experience of seeing people reconciled to one another and to God.
Why Are the Peacemakers Called 'Children of God' or ‘Sons of God’?
Peacemakers, in this context, are those who promote God’s peace. This peace is taken from the Hebrew word shalom, which can be defined as total or complete well being—both personally and communally.
The peacemakers are called children of God simply because God is the father of perfect peace and those who practice peacemaking are mirroring his nature.
Helping people find peace within their own souls
Help people find shalom—or internal rest and wholeness. This practically looks like e teaching people how to trust in God’s goodness so that they can rest in his grace instead of living lives of worry, fear, and unfulfillment.
“What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.” - Philippians 4:9
Practical ways to become a peacemaker
1. Use Your Mouth to Bless, Not Curse
The tongue can bring life or death to others. Use it to build people up, not to tear them down. Slander and gossip are the first steps in quarrels and fights but words of kindness are the first steps in reconciliation.
2. Stay Connected to The Vine
The key to keeping the peace is staying attached to the vine. People will press our patience. We will test our own patience with repetitive mistakes and unsolved problems. We’ll say things we shouldn’t and expect others not to. But the vine always bears good fruit. When we remain focused on the mercy of God it becomes easier to extend that mercy to others.
3. A Peacemaker Leads and Listens to Others with Humility and Patience
“ Be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry” humbly consider others point of view.
4. Approach people with empathy and compassion
Remember you never know what people are going through, give them the same empathy and compassion that God extends to you.
References:
https://www.christianity.com/wiki/bible/the-phrase-blessed-are-the-peacemakers-mean.html
https://www.gotquestions.org/blessed-are-the-peacemakers.html
https://www.compellingtruth.org/blessed-are-the-peacemakers.html
https://www.crosswalk.com/faith/bible-study/what-does-the-verse-blessed-are-the-peacemakers-mean.html
https://www.ibelieve.com/faith/blessed-are-the-peacemakers-ways-to-be-a-peacemaker-in-home-and-community.html