MENUMENU
The Beatitudes: 7. Peace

The Beatitudes: 7. Peace

The Beatitudes: 7. Peace.

Please read Matthew 5:3-10.

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called the children of God.” (Matt. 5:9).

You will grin from ear to ear when you are able to harmonize people and help those in discord to sing the same sweet tune. Congratulations! God is drawing up the adoption papers for those who work hand-in-hand with the Prince of Peace! And the Father is asking you to join the Family choir!

A peacemaker is an ambassador from another Country, God’s Kingdom, bringing offers of peace, well-being and wholeness from the King to all people in all situations. The Jewish understanding of peace, shalom, would include a sense of well-being within and harmony with others. In fact, when asking someone about their general well-being, the people of the Bible would ask, “How is your peace?” If one was at peace within and without, one would be living in shalom, thinking that “all is well.”  A peacemaker is one who will seek to:

  1. Reconcile the world to God through Christ, the Prince of Peace, in His ministry of reconciliation. (II Corinthians 5:18-20).
  2. Walk into a volatile situation in which there is more heat than light, and is able to turn down the heat and add some new light.
  3. Bring two competing parties to cooperate for the common good.
  4. Heal brokenness between people who have hurt each other.
  5. Build an atmosphere of prayerful serenity.
  6. Enable uncompromising people to come to a truce and have further discussion.
  7. Inject one’s own peace of mind into a troubled situation and create a calm atmosphere.
  8. Ease the fears in those who need peace of mind and spirit.
  9. Help persons to feel comfortable with an “agree to disagree” negotiation.
  10. Stimulate others to flourish in wholeness, not merely survive.
  11. “We’re Christ’s representatives. God uses us to persuade men and women to drop their differences and enter into God’s work of making things right between them.” (II Cor. 5:18-20, Message).
  12. Helping people live in harmony with their deepest differences.
  13. Develop the tools and relationships needed to heal racial discord.
  14. Advocate for the unjustly treated, in order to bring about a lasting change and a humane concord between the powerful and powerless.
  15. Enable two groups to talk productively instead of argue counterproductively.
  16. Bring a spiritual balm to a festering wound between injured persons.
  17. Add a winsome objectivity to people stuck in being selfishly subjective.
  18. Help people to resolve their personal conflict and restore their relationship.
  19. Help a conflicted person to resolve inner conflicts and enjoy peace of mind.
  20. Provide the spiritual direction needed to restore a friendship between God and a person hostile to the Faith.
  21. Help battling people or parties to “trade their swords for shovels and their spears for rakes.” (Micah 4:3, Message).

“Glory to God in the highest! And peace to His people on earth!” (Luke 2:14).

“Love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High…” (Luke 6:35).

“I have seen his ways, but I will heal him; I will guide him and restore comfort to him, creating praise on the lips of the mourners in Israel. Peace, peace, to those far and near, says the Lord, and I will heal them.” (Isaiah 57:18-19).

“Bless those who persecute you, bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another.” (Romans 12: 14-16).

“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. Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness.” (James 4:17-18).

“Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. (Colossians 3:15).

“Make very effort to live in peace with all people, and to be holy: without holiness no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no root of bitterness springs up and causes trouble, and through it many become defiled.” (Hebrews 12:14-15).

“There is deceit in the hearts of those who plot evil, but joy for those who promote peace.” (Proverbs 12:20).

“Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual upbuilding.” (Romans 14:19).

“Justice will dwell in the wilderness, and righteousness live in the fruitful field. The fruit of righteousness will be peace; the result of righteousness will be quietness and trust forever.” (Isaiah 32:16-17).

“May the God of peace himself sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept sound and blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do this.”  (I Thess. 5:23-24).