Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God. 

Matthew 5:9

At the heart of the beatitude sermon, is a call for a change of heart. Like I said earlier on in this series, the beatitudes are not a list of things to tick off the box. They are not another set of laws to observe. But they are fruits that germinate out of us as we stay with our Father. The longer we stay with Him, and when I say this I mean staying in His presence, the more we radiate and produce these fruits.

I do not believe in a ‘do as you like’ Christian living. I do not believe we can just do whatever we like and bribe our way into Heaven. We cannot earn it either because nothing we do on our own will ever be good enough to earn a place in The Palace. Hence, Jesus Christ began the sermon by telling us in verse 3 that we can only enter into Heaven when we realize our need for Him.

I believe Jesus Christ revealed to the disciples what they needed to be in order to spend eternity with Him.

You all will believe with me that we need peacemakers in this world we are living in. It’s almost like we’ve forgotten how to build bridges. We cut people off and advise people on how to cut others off. We want our space and want to try and do without others as best as we can. We want to have the last say in an argument because we just have to win. It has to be our way or no way. Either we have the last say or we fight the battle with resentment and malice. This sure isn’t the way friend. This isn’t the nature of God and He doesn’t want us to stay this way.

Despite saying this, is it possible to be at peace with all men? I doubt so. Paul said in Romans 12:18, “If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.”

The above verse sounds very realistic. But it doesn’t contradict the anchor verse. There are several examples were peace in the normal context will not be possible. We shouldn’t compromise our faith just for peace to reign. We shouldn’t lose our integrity in Christ just so we can make peace. There are some matters where of course we have to observe a distance still for the sake of peace. However, according to the above verse, a distance shouldn’t be our first choice. We should try all we can to live at peace. A distance should be considered only when we know deep down in our heart that we have given that relationship our best shot.

Violence, malice, and bitterness will never help us win people to Christ. God doesn’t respond to that. He responds to peace.

Hebrews 12:14 puts it in a way I love. It says,

 Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:

To follow means to go or come after (a person or thing proceeding ahead); move or travel behind (according to the dictionary).

So we are to let peace lead the way. We are to follow His footprints and ensure our feet is placed where He places His. Sometimes peace might follow footpaths we don’t love and would have never thought or wanted to follow. But peace always knows best because peace is God. Remember Jesus is The Prince of Peace. So when we follow peace, we follow Christ.

How can we live at peace with others?

I picked out the following points from Romans 12:9-21.

• Love others genuinely
• Stand for the truth
• Be affectionate
• Honor others
• Don’t be lazy
• Be joyful
• Be patient
• Be prayerful
• Be hospitable
• Be humble. Don’t think you know it all

Build bridges instead of walls. A wall doesn’t only block others out, it also cages you in. You can never be genuinely happy when caged in.

As I went for a meeting in my children’s school last week, I saw this prayer on one of their walls and it’s just too good for me not to share.

We are not children of God if we can never get along with people. Being peacemakers doesn’t make us children of God. Rather being children of God makes us peacemakers.

Are you a child of God?

“Therefore by their fruits you will know them.” Matthew 7:20

 

–Efua Uke is a mentor, blogger, and contributor to Ambo TV.  This article originally appeared on her website Grace Over Pain.