Matthew 5:9 (NLT) God blesses those who work for peace, for they will be called the children of God.
Peacemakers will be known as the children of God. Conversely, God’s children will be Peacemakers. Do Christians have the reputation of being peacemakers? We fight between denominations. We fight in our families. We fight in our workplaces.
The question is how can I/we be peacemakers as Christ calls us to be? Does this mean turning the other cheek? Letting people walk all over you? Using diplomacy? Force only when necessary? Waging war to create a lasting peace? Biting my tongue? Speaking my mind?
The Greek word for peace in this passage, “eirene”, probably comes from the word “eiro” which means “to join”. Peacemaking has the idea of joining people and ideas together*.
We know that Jesus wants all his children to be united.
Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples." John 13:35 (NLT)
The question is how can I/we be peacemakers as Christ calls us to be? Does this mean turning the other cheek? Letting people walk all over you? Using diplomacy? Force only when necessary? Waging war to create a lasting peace? Biting my tongue? Speaking my mind?
The Greek word for peace in this passage, “eirene”, probably comes from the word “eiro” which means “to join”. Peacemaking has the idea of joining people and ideas together*.
We know that Jesus wants all his children to be united.
Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples." John 13:35 (NLT)
Unfortunately, Christ’s children have often not been able to get along with each other over the past few centuries let alone broker peace for others. Sometimes this is unavoidable.
If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Romans 12:18 (NIV)
“If it is possible, as far as it depends on you” gives us a lot of latitude. We can say “She is being unreasonable!” or “There is just no pleasing him!” and we give up trying to live peacefully. On the other side, if we are “non confrontational people”, we are tempted to ignore sinful behavior that we should be speaking out against.
The way to avoid this is to look at what causes conflict.
James 4:1-4 (NIV) What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don't they come from your desires that battle within you? You want something but don't get it. You kill and covet. You quarrel and fight. You do not have 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. You adulterous people, don't you know that friendship with the things of this world is hatred towards God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.
How many of the conflicts we have are a result of us wanting things that the world wants. When I included those verses, I immediately thought about those with whom I have had conflicts with where I think I was in the right. I had thought that they were being worldly! I realized quickly though that I wanted worldly things as well. I wanted respect, to be seen as right, to be admired. I cannot think of a single conflict I have been involved in where I was 100% in the right. Even when I know I was on the right side of the argument I know it was at least partly for the wrong reasons. In every conflict I find myself in, I need to step back and ask; “Why does this bother me?” Most of the time it is not righteous anger. Most of the time it is pride.
Sometimes I stand by in silence when someone’s behavior is wrong, so I can remain well liked.
Sometimes I will get into a conflict over something small because I don’t want to back down and loose face.
This is not peacemaking.
If I don’t take the first step toward the “joining” by removing the selfish part of my position, how can I be a peacemaker? How can I be a child of God?
Mark Wallace
* Strong's Concordance
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