Counter to popular belief, being a peacemaker does not mean being silent. In fact, it means quite the opposite. If we look at the example that Jesus demonstrated, Jesus was very vocal when interacting with Pharisees and Sadducees. Most of his run-ins with church leaders were confrontational because the peace that Jesus brought was not received well by the leaders at that time. Jewish leaders did not believe that Jesus was the son of God. Every word that came out of Jesus’s mouth was not bringing peace to these individuals but causing confrontation with them. This where truth comes into play. You cannot be a peacemaker if you do not speak the truth. Jesus spoke the truth, is the truth and defined what a peacemaker is.
How is this relevant to our lives? We are surrounded by a world full of confrontation. Every day we have opportunities to interact with others and become a peacemaker. The peace that I am referring to is eternal peace. Knowing where your soul will go when you take your last breath. Having peace is knowing that Jesus sacrificed himself to redeem you of your sins. The peace that we offer by being peacemakers has the power to calm even the most disruptive of hearts. Lots of people are searching for what is missing in their life. Most don’t understand that peace is robbing them of their joy.
We are called to be a peacemaker.
Matthew 5:9 New American Standard Bible 1995
9 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.
Confronting lies with truth will eventually make peace. Accepting lies, looking past sin and accepting demonic behaviors of this world will definitely not make you a peacemaker. While the short-term reward for being a coward may be a small season of nonconfrontation, the long-term consequences of this behavior can destroy someone for eternity. If we want to follow in the footsteps of Jesus, we must speak the truth even if it becomes uncomfortable for someone receiving it. There may be times where tempers flare during a season of separating the wheat from the chaff. It is quite alright when this happens. The end product will be pure and refined which will install peace.
Jesus didn’t seek out confrontation just to have a conflict. Jesus sought out truth. When this truth was exposed to lies, it created an instant rebellion from darkness because it was exposed for what it is. There are many parables in the Bible that Jesus told, and many metaphors that he used to explain truth so that people could understand what he was saying. Jesus the peacemaker was very patient with how he explained things. The rebellious spirits did not accept his word which caused a myriad of emotions and resentment towards Jesus.
Through his sacrifice and death on the cross, and rising from the dead on the third day, Jesus showed that he is not only God, but a loving God and peacemaker. The flawless example that he showed us should be replicated in our lives. We must confront lies with truth by not being weak but being meek and humble. The legacy that we leave behind when we pass on to eternity should be one that reflects a life of a peacemaker pointing people to Christ.