The Beatitudes: Peacemakers
5:7 Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called children of God.
Eirene is the Greek word for peace. It means peace, one, quietness, rest; to join together into a whole; when all essential parts are joined together. Peace is a gift of wholeness from God.
Every person called to Christ becomes a part of one body. [1 Corinthians 12: 12-27] When there isn’t peace in our physical bodies, it doesn’t function like it usually would because it’s not in the best possible condition. The problem must be confronted, addressed, and reconciled — always. The same goes for the body of Christ. Each part must come together in one accord to accomplish one common goal: to share the Gospel of Christ. This cannot be done if we cannot confront conflict, address the bigger issue, and be reconciled to each other. Discord is not of God, and discord in the body requires a response that’s bigger than apologies. There must be genuine peace made, a reconciliation that changes the heart and mind. This makes peace in the body that expands and spreads. Truthfully, we are all called and chosen to serve a function in God’s kingdom to share the Good News found in Jesus. Every part must join together and work in peace in order for the peace of God to come from the body of Christ. [1 John 4:20]
In the same way, we must also have peace with ourselves. Individually, we have cares and worries that can affect how we function. When we worry, our body is affected, and we can experience fatigue, lack of motivation, restlessness, agitation, etc. There are several things we can do to calm those feelings, but the one thing that can give us inexplicable peace is casting our cares and worries at God's feet because He cares. [Philippians 4:6-7; 1 Peter 5:7] He tells us to come unto him if we are weary and heavy-laden because He will give us rest. [Matthew 11:28] Because our heavenly Father keeps His promises, we can trust that we will find rest. When we have questions that need answers and worries for everything, we put our trust in Him to give us the answers. [Matthew 7:7] Instead of holding onto our anxieties, we can lift them to God, who is the source and giver of all peace. [Romans 15:33; 1 Corinthians 14:33; Ephesians 2:14-17; Romans 5:1; Acts 10:36]
Because He is the author and giver of peace, our heavenly Father also wants us to be at peace with our brothers and sisters in Christ when there may be discord. [Psalm 82:6; Philippians 2:2; Matthew 5:23-24] Just as any parent would want for their children, our Father wants us always to make sure we “kiss and makeup.” We don't literally have to kiss; though, what we do have to do is go and reconcile ourselves to our siblings. When there is any trouble between us, we have to make peace. If there is a fight, an argument, a disagreement, a bridge burned, a hurt unaccounted for, any wrong must be made right with an apology, a conversation, repentance, and forgiveness. Only then can we go into the alter with our offering to God, and we can confidently ask for forgiveness. [Matthew 5:23-24; Matthew 6:12; Romans 12:1]
When we studied the beatitude of mercy, we learn that we must also be merciful to people who hurt us, including unbelievers. As disciples in Christ, we must make peace with them, forgiving them when they do wrong. Because we are made in the image and meant to be examples of our heavenly Father who forgives freely, we must do the same. That forgiveness, whether we are apologized to or not, makes peace with our offenders. That same forgiveness and peace are necessary for God to be revealed in the hearts of those who do not see Him yet.
they shall be called children of God.
There are idioms in every culture about how we can be like our parents. Like mother, like father, like son and daughter (Greek); like river, like water; as the trunk so the branch (Maltese) from such stick, comes such splinter (Spanish) are only a few. We can share physical features, personality traits, and mannerisms that are practically identical to those of our parents. Even some of the things we say, we can recall our parents telling us the same things at some point in our lives.
Jesus is the son of God, who, as we learned a moment ago, is the author and giver of all peace. He was His Father’s son because they were one and the same. Knowing that God knew us before time and before we were born, we can trust the word written in Romans 8:29. Because of Christ, we are called children of God, adopted into the family of the Most High. [Psalm 82:6; Romans 8:16; Romans 8:29; Galatians 3:26]
When we are peacemakers, we become more like Christ and reflect our Father in heaven. So we will be called the children of God because let’s face it, the apple doesn’t fall too far from the tree. [James 3:18]
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