04-10-24-ENG.

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.”

Matthew 5:9
Whatever the case and wherever it may appear, it looks like everywhere you turn these days there is a war. The same was a common occurrence in Jesus’ day as well. That’s why the kingdom value that focuses on peace is so important. We read, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God” (Matthew 5:9). Peace is harmony where conflict used to exist. Peace is more than a truce. After all, two people or two nations can stop fighting physically but still live in a cold war. Some married couples assume they have peace in their relationship because they don’t talk to each other. But that is not peace. That’s a relational cold war. We should never be satisfied with a cold war and think it means we have peace. Peace is much more than the removal of overt conflict. Peace includes resolving the conflict by exposing the source of the contention in order to address it.

To live with this kingdom value of peacemaking is to live as someone who does not run away from conflict, but rather faces the conflict with truth in such a way so as to resolve it. A peacemaker is more than a peacekeeper. It’s more than someone who stands between those in conflict and tells them not to fight. A peacemaker looks for a way to resolve the conflict at hand. A peacemaker ought to be able to step back from the combatants and have them continue to get along because they have experienced a real resolution to the problem. This is why peace must always be accompanied by righteousness. Psalm 85:10 explains this relationship: “Lovingkindness and truth have met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other.” When love and truth meet, the mouths of righteousness and peace similarly connect, producing the necessary results.

Hebrews 12:14 describes the connection like this: “Pursue peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no one will see the Lord.” We are to pursue peace, but we must remember that this pursuit cannot be absent of sanctification. That is, we could pursue peace, but we cannot obtain it without the righteous requirements of God. When Adam and Eve sinned against God, they created conflict. They created conflict with God, conflict with each other, and conflict within their own nature. This conflict resulted from their sin. It wasn’t until the sin was addressed that the conflict could be addressed. Peace is a bridge between truth and righteousness. Both truth and righteousness must exist if there is going to be any amount of lasting peace.

When a woman wants to straighten the curls in her hair, the beautician will add a chemical treatment to neutralize the impact of a perm. The purpose of the neutralizing agent is to keep the perm from doing chemical damage to the hair. In other words, if the perm is left in the hair and not neutralized, it will wind up doing more damage than good. Similarly, a peacemaker is someone who enters a scene of conflict in order to neutralize the conflict so that further damage is not allowed to occur. To be a peacemaker is to be someone who is actively involved in creating harmony where conflict once existed. For those who choose to intentionally live according to this kingdom value, the blessing you will receive is that you will be “called sons of God.” 

Reaction:
Describe the difference between being a peacemaker and a peacekeeper. In what ways do you actively pursue peacemaking in your life? What do you think are some of the reasons Satan seeks to disrupt the peace in our world and in believers’ lives? 

Prayer:
Jesus, give me greater discernment to be able to identify when Satan is disrupting the peace. Help me be aware so that I do not fall into the trap of division and sowing discord among those in my sphere of influence. In Your name I pray, amen.