Peacefaker or Peacemaker?

Church Family:
I want to share with you a common story that highlights the difference between peace-faking and peace-making.

Jack and Jill experience conflict and strife in their relationship, and they are both believers who desire to honor God in obedience to His command for them to be peacemakers. Jack and Jill, even in their conflict, seek peace that flows from righteousness and purity, as taught in Scripture. The peace they desire is not merely the absence of conflict in their relationship, but it is deeply rooted in them joyfully living according to God's standard of holiness. They know that seeking holiness is being a peacemaker. Jack and Jill also know that oftentimes biblical peace involves confrontation with each other’s sin and shortcomings because true peace requires that wrongdoing is addressed. Both desiring peace and reconciliation are empowered by God’s Spirit. Humility, meekness, mercy, grace, purity, and biblical wisdom all contribute to Jack and Jill reconciling and even overlooking offenses, which produces peace and a happiness in their relationship (Mat. 5:9).

On the other hand, Jeff and Jennifer, both are believers, are experiencing conflict and strife in their relationship. They are desiring peace, but Jeff does not desire to be one who makes peace. Jeff primarily puts his needs, desires, and wants before Jennifer’s, so he uses verbal attacks. He insults, intimidates, and criticizes while escalating the conflict. He wants to be heard. He wants it his way or no way. Jeff denies his sin and shortcomings and bullies Jennifer to keep quiet. The result is no peace and no happiness in their relationship just avoidance so that things might seem “peaceful.” Jeff is engaged in peace-faking. True peace is only possible when rooted in honesty, humility, and confronting the real issues—especially sin or hurt that needs to be addressed. To do this, the first six beatitudes need to be lived out in their lives (Mat. 5:3-8). There needs to be a brokenness and mourning over their sin, a meekness of a life under God’s control, a hungering and thirsting for righteousness, a giving of mercy and a personal desire for purity so that peacemaking will endure the coming conflicts.

Why does Jesus expect us to be peacemakers? Because peace is central to God’s character and redemptive mission on earth. Jesus, the Prince of Peace, embodies peace by reconciling humanity to God through His life, death, and resurrection (Col. 1:19-22). His peace is not mere absence of conflict or superficial harmony, but a deep, spiritual reconciliation that flows from loving righteousness and truth. Peacemakers are not those who just live in peace, but they are those who bring about peace, overcoming evil with good. We are called to be instruments of this peace by loving our enemies, blessing those who persecute us, and working for reconciliation among others in our life. Jesus says that peacemaking is a witness of God’s kingdom to the world. The unity, love and peace among believers, which peacemakers nurture, serve as a powerful testimony of God’s transforming work, which is a powerful invitation to others to join us in God’s kingdom (John 13:35).
Jesus calls us into His kingdom to be people who preserve peace where there is peace and to restore peace where there is no peace. We are to be known as peacemakers in our marriages, peacemakers as parents, peacemakers at work, and peacemakers in the church.

We are to make peace by lessening conflicts and tensions, seeking solutions, and keeping communication clear. We are to avoid quarrels, as far as lies in our power (Rom. 12:18), desiring to take away every occasion of hatred and strife. We must endeavor to stay calm during disagreements and respond with a gentle voice. Our faces and mouths must visually and verbally communicate hope and peace as arguments intensify. Where do you need to make peace today?

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

See you Sunday, enjoying God's peace: Steve