Blessed Are the Peacemakers
Have you ever been in a worship service where you’re invited to “pass the peace”? Picture this: a quiet congregation suddenly springs up from a time of silent prayer as conversations begin bellowing forth from everyone in the room. Handshakes are exchanged, backs are patted, shoulders are squeezed, families hug (even kiss!), and sometimes you’ll even see an arm raised high in the air as one friend gestures the peace sign to another across the room. It is chaotic, loud, unorganized, and absolutely beautiful.
During the passing of the peace, we remember that because Jesus shared his peace with us, we also share peace with one another. But this isn’t always easy. Sometimes, the person in the pew ahead of you could be someone who annoys you, someone who hurt you or someone you love, or someone who isn’t easy to talk to. Nevertheless, the practice of passing the peace can help us remember the invitation of Jesus:
“My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you” (John 15:12). Passing the peace, even with those who we may find difficult to love, is a chance for us to understand what Jesus meant when he said, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God” (Matthew 5:9).
Sometimes, being a peacemaker can feel exciting and empowering. After all, being a part of a solution can feel really good! But sometimes, being a peacemaker feels impossible. Maybe the people around us are making choices that we know are wrong, but we can’t change their minds. Or maybe the whole situation feels chaotic, out of control, or too big for us to make a difference. Or maybe we just don’t want to make peace and instead want to pick up a sword and get to swingin’. Do we really need to be peacemakers, Jesus?
A lot of people around Jesus didn’t like his message of peace, either. Even some of his disciples seemed more likely to give a punch to the face than a forgiving handshake or hug. But time and time again, Jesus chose the path of peace. That doesn’t mean he stayed silent against injustice: Jesus wasn’t afraid to speak up and share the truth! But in speaking up, Jesus was doing a key part of peacemaking: he was restoring relationships and healing hurting people. Jesus’s model of peacemaking invited people into a right relationship with him and their neighbor.
The work of peacemaking is not easy. In fact, sometimes it feels downright impossible. But the amazing thing about knowing Jesus is that he can help us do what he wants us to do. As children of God, we can ask for the Holy Spirit’s help to be more like Jesus in moments when conflict comes up and peace feels far from us. We can pray for eyes to see injustice, and for hands to help bring restoration. We can pray for ears to hear the stories of strangers, and for hearts to be softened towards our enemies. We can pray for perseverance, and for a perspective of hope. We can pray for all the fruits of the spirit to become a part of our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
One day, peace will come. Jesus promised it, and he keeps his promises. So on days when it feels hard to pass the peace, we can think about these words from the prophet Isaiah:
The wolf will live with the lamb,
the leopard will lie down with the goat,
the calf and the lion and the yearling together;
and a little child will lead them.
The cow will feed with the bear,
their young will lie down together,
and the lion will eat straw like the ox.
The infant will play near the cobra’s den,
and the young child will put its hand into the viper’s nest.
They will neither harm nor destroy
on all my holy mountain,
for the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord
as the waters cover the sea.
—Isaiah 11:6-9
Blessed are you, peacemakers. As you live into this blessing, may you be comforted by the words that Jesus told his disciples: “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you” (John 14:27).
May the peace of the Lord be with you… and with the whole world, too.
