Reflections on Matthew 5:9
Take one glance at the world, and you will see it: peace doesn’t come naturally. From global conflict to tension-filled households, from online debates to private resentments, we live in a world deeply fractured. Disagreements, division, and discord seem to fill every corner of life. But into this noise and brokenness, Jesus speaks a bold promise:
This beatitude is not a soft sentiment. It’s a call to action. A ourselves. Peacemaking isn’t passive—it’s courageous, intentional, and often uncomfortable. And yet, it is deeply reflective of God’s heart.
PEACEKEEPING VS. PLACEMAKING
Let’s make one thing clear: placemaking is not the same as peacekeeping. Peacekeeping often aims to avoid conflict, to keep things quiet and undisturbed, even if that means leaving issues unresolved. Placemaking, on the other hand, wades into tension to heal what’s broken. It doesn’t ignore hard conversations; it embraces them with courage and compassion.
Jesus never promised a conflict-free life. In fact, He told us that trouble is inevitable. But in the middle of all that unrest, He invites us to be His representatives—people who bridge divides, who reconcile hearts, who reflect the peace He alone gives
WHAT DOES A PEACEMAKER LOOK LIKE?
Peacemakers aren’t superheroes. They’re not perfect. They’re people who carry the heart of God into messy, real-life situations. Here’s what that looks like in practice:
1. Peacemakers Lead with Humility
Peacemaking begins with self-awareness. You don’t have to be right all the time. You don’t have to fix every situation. But you do have to walk in humility—acknowledging your own need for grace, and offering that same grace to others.
Pride closes doors; humility opens them. When we approach others with gentleness rather than judgment, walls begin to fall.
2. Peacemakers Listen with Empathy
Peace doesn’t start with talking; it starts with listening.
Empathy means choosing to see the world through someone else’s eyes, even if you don’t agree with their viewpoint. It means asking questions instead of jumping to conclusions and valuing relationship over being “right.”
In a divided world, empathy is radical. It disarms anger and creates space for understanding to grow.
3. Peacemakers Speak with Truth and Grace
Jesus was full of both truth and grace. He never compromised what was right, but He always led with love. Peacemakers follow this same rhythm—speaking truth with boldness, but never without kindness.
Truth without grace wounds. Grace without truth withers. But when we hold them together, we build bridges strong enough to carry the weight of healing.
4. Peacemakers Point Others to Jesus
At the heart of peacemaking is the awareness that we can’t do it alone. Human efforts can only go so far. Real peace—the kind that heals the soul—comes from God alone.
Peacemakers aren’t just conflict-resolvers; they’re guides. They lead people to the One who makes peace possible. Because when hearts are reconciled to God, they can begin to reconcile with each other.
THE REWARD OF PEACEMAKING
Jesus said that peacemakers “will be called children of God.” Why? Because they look like their Father. God is a God of peace, and when we choose to be peacemakers, we reflect His nature. We reveal His character to a watching world. And we step into the kind of life He blesses.
But let’s be honest, peacemaking is not always easy. It may cost you your comfort, your pride, or your sense of control. It may not result in immediate change. Sometimes it will feel thankless. But God sees. And He honors every effort made to bring His peace into the world.
A DAILY CHOICE
You don’t have to wait for a grand moment to become a peacemaker. The opportunity is already around you—in your family, your friendships, your community, your conversations online.
Each day, you’re invited to bring light into dark spaces. To speak life where there’s hurt. To forgive when it’s hard. To seek understanding instead of escalating tension. peace won’t make itself.
But with hearts anchored in Jesus, we can begin to make it, one step, one conversation, one act of love at a time. You were made for more than keeping the peace. You were made to create it. Amen.
