“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.” (Matthew 5:9).
Blessed are the lovers of peace?
Blessed are those who think peace is peachy?
Blessed are the fans of peace?
Nope. Nope. Nope.
Blessed are the peacemakers.
Our world is full of people who are lovers of peace, people who think peace is peachy, people who are huge fans of peace, but don’t know a thing about making peace.
What our world – the world that is shooting rockets into Israel, is blowing up buildings in Gaza, our world where torn apart by race, our world where gun violence is reeking havoc – what this world needs are peacemakers.
You can be a lover of peace, a fan of peace and sit on the sidelines and watch the world go to pot. But if you are a peacemaker, there is no sitting on the sidelines. Peacemakers are in the mess, in the pain, in the turmoil doing their part to make peace wherever they are. Peacemakers do this because the Lord of peace lives in them. If Jesus lives in you, you are a peacemaker because Jesus is a peacemaker.
eirene is the Greek word for peace. Jesus says in John 14:27, “Peace I leave with you my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives.”
Peace doesn’t originate with us. The source of peace is Jesus. The peace Jesus offers is a peace that the world cannot give. The peace that Jesus gives is literally out of this world.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they are the children of God.
Praxis: Faith in Action 