At the onset of His Sermon on the mount, known by many as the Beatitudes, Jesus made this declaration: “Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.” (Matthew 5:9) You know, I love the many verses in the Bible which are self explanatory. This is one of them. What else can a “peacemaker” be other than being a person who not only makes peace, but one who is at peace with everything and everybody, beginning with God. One notable minister of the gospel has said: “When one has the peace of God, it is because he has peace with God.”
In these beatitudes, Jesus painted a picture of the character of the genuine children of God. They are humble, meek, tenderhearted, merciful, pure in heart, and of course, people of peace. If Jesus is indeed the Prince of Peace, it stands to reason that His followers will be a little bit like Him. It is out of character for a child of God to have running feuds with others, be in severed relationships, or hold grudges, especially with fellow Christians. In fact, anyone who wants to serve the Lord but often gets into quarrels is disqualified. In his second letter to Timothy, Paul wrote: “A servant of the Lord must not quarrel but must be kind to everyone, be able to teach, and be patient with difficult people.” (2 Tim. 2:24 New Living Translation) Personally speaking, if I knew someone had something against me and I had made no effort to do something about it, or if I knew I had offended someone and had not asked his or her forgiveness, I would find it extremely difficult to even write a blog message.
To be a peacemaker is to have the wisdom of God. James 3:17 reads: “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.” Are you at peace today? Is your heart at rest? If you can’t answer “yes” and you are a child of God, may I encourage you to run to the Prince of Peace? He will surely help you.
God’s promise for today: (Philippians 4:7) “And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”
