Have you ever been a go between, voice of reason, or mediator?

Carl was watching his parent’s relationship slowly fall apart. After years of bitterness, broken communication, and other destructive behaviors he could no longer stand by and watch them destroy one another. With nothing to loose Carl sits down with his parents and begins to walk through the biblical reasons for forgiveness and reconciliation. After many tears and lots of room for God to begin to work, things slowly got better.

Matthew 5:9 says, “ Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.”

Carl’s story is beautiful and his parent’s recovery from years of destructive behavior is a miracle, but is Carl what God considers a peacemaker?

What is a peacemaker? 

The Greek word translated “peacemaker” is used in only one other place in the New Testament, in a slightly different form. Colossians 1:20 says, “For it was the Father’s good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him, and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross.”

Jesus laid down His life to make peace between God and sinners, and when we can carry that message of peace to others, we are peacemakers. God delights in those who reconcile others to Him—those who bring the gospel are “beautiful” (Isaiah 52:7). God “reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation” (2 Corinthians 5:18). Those who bring reconciliation to broken relationships are carrying on the work of Jesus, the Prince of Peace.

How is God asking you to carry on Jesus’ work?

There is no real peace apart from a relationship with God (Romans 5:1). What may masquerade as worldly peace is merely a temporary lull in chaos (John 14:27). True peace is found only in a restored relationship with God. “‘There is no peace,’ says the LORD, ‘for the wicked’” (Isaiah 48:22).

How are you continually restoring/deepening your relationship with God?

Only children of God can bring the peace of knowing God to others. A person must have a real relationship with God before he or she can help someone else know God. Those who bring the wonderful message of God’s peace to the world are “peacemakers,” and Jesus calls them the “children of God.” (http://www.gotquestions.com)

Who has God asked you to bring peace to within the last month, year, and three years?

WHAT PEACEMAKERS DO
Peacemakers make things better. Think of an orchestra tuning their instruments. Individually they sound beautiful, but together it’s just noise. When the conductor steps into the room, everything changes. The noise becomes harmonious music. Peacemakers are conductors. They step into lives and help them find harmony with God. Peacemakers bring God’s harmony to disharmony, death to life.

How could God use you to bring harmony to disharmony?

OBSTACLES TO BECOMING A PEACEMAKER
When we’re knotted up inside, angry at the world, guilt ridden, anxious, stressed, and filled with judgment there’s no room for the gospel. There’s no room to become a peacemaker. When we hate, connive, ignore, and idly sit and watch the day go by there’s no room for the gospel. There’s no room to be a peacemaker. When we worry, we’re paralyzed with fear, and more interested in what people think there’s no room for the gospel. There’s no room to be a peacemaker.

What obstacles to your personally struggle with that keep you from being a peacemaker?

AIDS TO BECOMING A PEACEMAKER
When we are surrendered to the spirit, filled with God’s word, connected to God’s people, passionate about people finding God, want to see Jesus, desire for God’s kingdom to come, and look past peoples façades there’s room for the gospel. There’s room to become a peacemaker.

How can you better be aided by the Spirit of God to be a peacemaker?

Lord, help us to seek to share your peace with the world. We long to become less and desire for you to become more. Your word, thoughts, spirit, and kingdom are the answer to all our needs. Amen.