Blessed are the Peacemakers

Those whom God would call peacemakers do not always fit our definition of what a peacemaker should be. When I think of a peacemaker in my natural mind, I think of someone who is a people-pleaser and who speaks out of both sides of their mouth to make everyone happy. This is not at all what our Lord meant by peacemakers.

Many times peace comes with a price. For man to be at peace with God, the Son of God had to willingly suffer God's wrath toward man. The chastisement of our peace was upon Him (Is. 53:5). To be at peace with God cost an awful price. For a Christian minister of the Gospel who would seek to bring others into peace with God there must first be given the disturbing reality of our sinful condition before God and the need for repentance. Being a peacemaker in this sense is not always a peaceful thing because we bring a message that contains judgment. On the other end when man does come into peace with God it is only after he has been made aware of his spiritual poverty, mourned over his sin, been broken and humbled over his inability, and hungered for a righteousness outside of himself (Matt. 5:3-6). With peace comes disturbance.

Peacemakers who would make peace within the body of Christ must trouble the waters at times as well. True peacemakers are not as the false prophets who said, "Peace! Peace!" when there was no peace. True peacemakers are willing to confront and rebuke if necessary. Sin must be dealt with before we can be restored. Discord cannot be overlooked if we desire purity in the body of Christ. This stresses to us the need for accountability to one another. We need accountability in the church and we need it in the home as well. We may be troubled by those who would make peace, but many times their words of rebuke (if necessary) are a means of grace that God uses to help us see our blind spots and to ultimately bring us to repentance. Thank God for those who are true peacemakers and for those who understand that many times true peace comes with a price.