Peace is one of the many facets of God’s love. It is also one that can easily be overlooked simply because the true meaning is not well known. Yet Jesus placed much importance on being a peacemaker when he stated, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.” Matthew 5:9 Therefore, it is important to know the meaning of being a peacemaker.
Being a peacemaker requires action. It is not an easy path to follow but has toil and tribulation. You will always have enemies; those who don’t want to have peace with you. It is the act of being self-less, self-giving, self-losing, self-forgetting. It requires you to put away your pride and be humbled. A peacemaker does not act defensively nor are they easily provoked. Where there is peace, jealousy, hatred, bad tempers, and quarrels are not found. These acts of sinful nature are found in Galatians 5:19. A couple verses later you find the fruits of the Spirit, peace is among them.
Jesus set the perfect example for peace. When he was insulted, he acted in goodwill. When he was betrayed, he gave himself freely. When he was crucified, he prayed for those who put him on the cross. He was humble and meek.
The only way to have true peace is to allow Christ to enter your life. You must be open to his teaching and admonishing. The Holy Spirit must do work in your heart in order for peace to prevail. You must admit that you are not a peacemaker and give Christ control of your life. This means you cannot make excuses for yourself saying, “They provoked me” or “They are wrong and so I am justified in being mad.” If you ask and allow Him to, he will change you dramatically! Don’t let pride get in the way of allowing Christ to change you. I am one of the worst people I know concerning this area of life, so this is for me as much as it is for anyone else. It just took me this long to realize it.
