Being a Peacemaker

I’ve learned that there are peacemakers and there are instigators in life. Peacemakers look to resolve conflict wherever they go. Instigators incite conflict through manipulation to get people to react in a way they normally wouldn’t. Peacemakers are good listeners, while instigators talk. I can think of a number of times when things were fine until someone started talking and started getting everyone worked up. They turned on people they normally wouldn’t have. Instigators will often try to undermine the work of a peacemaker. You’re probably thinking of people right now that fit the bill for each of these. Where do you fit in? Jesus told us that the peacemakers are blessed in the Sermon on the Mount.

In Matthew 20, Jesus told the parable about a land owner who needed help bringing in the harvest. He went out and hired people at dawn to hire workers. He offered them a days wage to work. He went out at nine and did the same thing. He followed this pattern at noon and at three. Then at five o’clock he found more people needing work and offered them a days work. He then paid the last people hired first and worked his way to those who worked the longest. When they saw the people who worked the least get paid what they were promised, the instigators started working them up causing them to assume they would get more. When they didn’t, they complained to the land owner saying he cheated them. He then reminded them that they agreed to work for that price. They took their money and left. It doesn’t what their attitude was, but instigators set wrong expectations hoping to incite conflict. The land owner was wise and brought peace to a delicate situation.

Hebrews 12:14 says, “Work at living in peace with everyone, and work at living a holy life, for those who are not holy will not see the Lord” (NLT). It is often work on our part to live at peace with everyone. When we’re hurt, the easy thing is to incite people against that person or to hold a grudge. However, Biblically it is our responsibility to go to that person to make peace. Part of living a holy life is making peace where there is strife. The responsibility falls on us, not someone else. Has someone offended you? Did you go to them or someone else? It’s not easy being a peacemaker. It’s not easy to live at peace with everyone either, yet it’s what we are called to do. In a divided world, let’s do our part to bring peace rather than conflict. Let’s speak healing rather than hate. Let’s seek the best for others and stop trying to manipulate. It’s the peacemakers who are blessed.