The Power Of A Peacemaker | The Disciple Series

Matthew 5:9 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.

Disciples of Jesus make peace. This does not mean we are weak, unable to be strong. Neither does it mean we don’t confront people. The path to peace sometimes demands this. Most times peace comes with calm words and negotiation. We quench angry fires with calming water. 

Again, Jesus places one quality next to another, with good reason. Peace follows purity. The evil heart has no rest. We are powerless to bring peace if we ourselves are not peaceful. Peace begets peace, war, war. Wars without begin from wars within. Peace within, peace without.

If those who bring peace are the children of God, what are those who bring war?  Revenge is the instinct of our flesh, the animal nature that all of us have. Don’t justify your aggression saying they attacked first. We respond with soft answers to attackers (Proverbs 15:1). Retaliation aggravates open wounds and the blood flows. 

Jesus was the ultimate ‘soft-answer’ person. He was innocent of all wrongdoing. His guilt was doing only good, and not just good, but He transformed men and women everywhere. (With just one encounter with Jesus, Zacchaeus changed instantly from a greedy tax collecting criminal to a kind-hearted, generous, right-living follower.) Yet, in the absence of justice, Jesus was condemned to die like the worst of criminals. Hated for no reason, crucified without mercy. His reply? - 'I forgive you'. He was not out for revenge. He was not claiming injustice. He was not demanding His rights. He was not crying, 'victim'. He was at peace and therefore bringing peace, even violent unjust storms raged against Him.

Born again, we enter a higher realm of living by the power of the Holy Spirit. Instead of seeking revenge we seek to forgive and reconcile. The Holy Spirit shapes Christ in us, the same Christ who said, 'I forgive you'.
Peace-making is not just about a soft answer.

Peace-making is people skills that win people to solutions. Peace comes when both sides of a conflict are appeased with a plan benefitting both. If you want peace, you’ll know what to do. It's impossible to outline a formula for peace-making because every circumstance is so different. Peace-making begins in us determining to pay the price. This is swallowing pride, letting go anger, refusing to speak strife, embracing the calm of the presence of God.