Peacemakers - Sons of God

eDevotion

Encouragement for your daily walk with God 

Over the years, I’ve watched diplomats frantically fly from country to country in an effort to secure peace. Sometimes they succeeded, if only temporarily, and sometimes their efforts were futile. 

Being a peacemaker is a noble effort. Have you ever thought of yourself as a peacemaker? I’m not talking about being a politician or diplomat. I’m talking about being in an elite group who work tirelessly to restore peace that was forfeited because of sin. 

Christ followers are called to be peacemakers. There is no greater privilege. And there are two distinct ways to go about it:

1. Help others find peace with God. We can do that when we preach the gospel of peace with clarity; that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, thus making peace [2 Corinthians 5.19]. That’s the message of the early church and ours as well. Earlier I said that peacemaking is a noble effort. Listen to Paul’s commendation to the Roman Christ followers, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” [Romans 10.15, an adaptation of Isaiah 52.7].

2. Help reconcile believers to one another. Scripture is clear that God doesn’t accept worship from Christ followers who are at odds with each other. They must resolve their conflict, then bring their offerings to God [Matthew 5.23-24].

Peacemaking is necessary, but not necessarily an easy task. It requires that we speak the truth in love, then allow God the Holy Spirit to bring reconciliation. And, by the way, to be an effective peacemaker, you have to maintain peace in your life! Sin will disrupt that peace and make it difficult, if not impossible, to dispense God’s peace to others. So, guard your heart by confessing your sin [1 John 2.9], and let God use you as a peacemaker.

As a Christ follower, you are an ambassador of peace!

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