“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.” Matthew 5:9
God has peace in Himself (Heb. 13:20). Jesus is described as the “Prince of Peace” (Isa. 9:6). Not only is Christ our peace, but He came into the world to make peace by shedding His blood on the cross (Col. 1:20). Even more, the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of peace (Matt. 3:16). And when you make peace, you reflect the likeness of the triune God. Here are some ways of making peace that reflect God’s glory.
Don’t stand on your rights
Christ was in the form of God, but He did not grasp what was His by right (Phil. 2:6). He came into the world to make peace. Likewise, you will not make peace by standing on your rights. You may have a right in a particular instance, but what is the best way to make peace? Every time you think about your rights, remind yourself, “If God stood on His rights, I would be in hell and so would everyone else.”
Move toward the trouble
A wise person once said, “Always move toward the barking dog.” For most people, the natural instinct is to back off. But when the world was “barking” at God, He did not back off. He moved toward us, and that led to the cross.
So, making peace does not mean avoiding conflict. Peacemakers often cause trouble in pursuing peace. “I have not come to bring peace, but a sword” (Matt. 10:34). Peacemaking is not for the fainthearted. It takes immense courage. It is the most dangerous job in the world—for Jesus it meant laying down His life for His enemies.
Love before you are loved in return
“God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom. 5:8). Could you do that? Could you keep loving if love was not returned? You could only do it if the Spirit of Jesus lived in you.
Where could you be a peacemaker today? What first step could you take?
