PEACEMAKERS AS CHILDREN OF GOD
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the Children of God. Matthew 5:9
Wouldn’t you rather be a son of peace than a warrior of pride?
Jesus came as The Prince of Peace and His goal was to reconcile men to God and broker peace between these eternal enemies (God and His creation). We had so wandered away from the heavenly Father and His ways that God practically left humanity to our apostate depravity however, Jesus (the Love of God in human form) did all it will require to bridge the gap. He was and will always be the Son of Peace.
He said that those who will tread His path of peace will be privileged to be called the Children of God.
Are we truly Children of God? Our thoughts, words and actions – do they pursue peace or ignite war.
We curse people and things God created whenever we feel they are not acting favourable to our cause. We curse in our hearts, in our words and actions. Worse still, we curse in our prayers!
Prayers to whom? To God? How can He who said we should rather bless than curse – even our enemies be pleased with this kind of prayers.
We curse diseases, we curse the weather, we curse the brethren and we curse the atheist and the religious. Where did we learn that from.
We have been called to make, create, maintain and pursue peace.
If possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Romans 12:18
The above verse clearly asserts that sometimes conflict is not avoidable but then it still commands as far as we are able to, we MUST live at peace with ALL men.
Here’s a short story that gently encourages peacemaking through empathy and understanding:
The Bridge of Stones
In a quiet village nestled between two hills, there lived two families—The Olus and The Bakos—who hadn’t spoken in years. Their feud began over a patch of land, but over time, no one remembered the reason. Only the silence remained.
One day, a boy named Tunde from the Olus and a girl named Kauna from the Bakos met by the river that divided their homes. They were both gathering smooth stones for a school project. At first, they ignored each other. But when Kauna slipped and fell into the shallow water, Tunde rushed to help her.
“Thank you,” she said, surprised.
“You’re welcome,” he replied, just as surprised.
They sat on the riverbank, drying off and talking. They discovered they both loved drawing, mangoes, and stories about the stars. Before leaving, they made a pact: every day, they’d each place a stone in the river to build a bridge—not just of stones, but of peace.
Days turned into weeks. Villagers began to notice the growing bridge and the laughter of two children playing nearby. Curiosity softened old grudges. One by one, others joined—placing stones, sharing stories, and slowly rebuilding trust.
By the time the bridge was complete, the feud had faded. The Olus and Bakos stood together, watching their children cross the bridge hand in hand.
And from that day on, the river no longer divided them — rather, it connected them.
Please quit throwing stones to hurt people, rather use them to build bridges to help reconnect them.
We are called to be peacemakers – making peace via empathy, humility, wisdom and sacrifice not peacekeepers. While the peace keepers try to enforce a false peace without dealing with the root of the conflict, the peacemaker confronts issues and brings about lasting peace.
Reflection:
– Am I a peacemaker or a peacekeeper? Do I confront issues or just avoid conflict.
– Where in my relationship is God calling me to bring lasting peace?
– How does being a child of God empower me to reconcile others?
Prayer:
🎶 Lord, make us instruments of Your peace
Where there is hatred, let Your love increase
Lord, make us instruments of Your peace
Walls of pride and prejudice … release
We will be His instruments of peace
Where there is blindness, we will pray for sight
Where there is darkness, we will shine His light
Where there is sadness, we will bear their grief
To the millions crying for relief
We will be His instruments of peace.
“A man who wants to lead the orchestra must turn his back on the crowd,” Max Lucado
This quote reminds us that peacemakers often take the quiet, courageous path— choosing harmony over applause
Shalom!