ZA MAGAZINE // seek truth.

One of the most common greetings in the Christian community in Jesus’ time was ‘Peace be with you’. It is the first thing Jesus says to His disciples after He rose from the dead. It is important to remember that the world exists to glorify God only when there is somehow, somewhere, a peaceful mind, a peaceful village, or a peaceful country. Peace exists only because God works for it to occur, so it is no surprise Jesus would call those who sow the seeds of peace on Earth, acting in God’s will, sons of God.

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

Jesus says that those who work for peace in the world are sons of God. Jesus was always working in peaceful and passive ways. He was not a revolt-leading Messiah that the Israelites were waiting for. Jesus preached love. Jesus preached humility. Jesus preached about giving freely of oneself. So what does it mean to be a peacemaker? There was a gun in the late 1800’s named ‘peacemaker’…Is that what is meant by peacemaking? Violence to keep the peace? No WAY!

Peace (Hebrew: shalom) means “safe, well, happy, prosperity, healthy”. It’s clear that peace is good. And, by extension, those who make peace are doing great and noble acts. Create safety, create welfare for people and you already should receive some sort of recognition on Earth…but how BLESSED are we when we make peace, because Jesus tells us that we are called sons of God. But what does it mean to be called a son of God? Like Jesus is the Son of God, or in a different aspect?

Sons (Greek: uihos) is figurative in nature, speaking of kinship between a father and a son. As Jesus calls God, His father, so we are adopted into this family as children of God. This means God loves us unconditionally, without blame or ceasing. God never stops loving us while we are on this Earth. This is such a great blessing to have!! God wants us to be to Him as close as a son is to a father. Fathers teach, reprimand, love, comfort, and give gifts. So also does our Heavenly Father! Look at this Scripture from Matthew, close to the end of the Sermon on the Mount.

Matthew 7:7-11

7 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. 9 Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? 11 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!”

Here, the true illustration of a Heavenly Father-son relationship is seen. God gives to those who ask, and they are just as a son is to his father. This is what you get for being a peacemaker on Earth. But I must assure you that we are not like Jesus as the Son of God…but in the aspect that we are loved and cared for by our Father, and able to have a close relationship with Him, we have the relationship that exists between Jesus and our Father in Heaven.

Then what does it all mean? Peacemakers are blessed because they are given the opportunity to have a great personal relationship with God! Why are we so blessed when we create peace? Well, here is another comparison with Jesus… Because we are acting as Jesus acted in the world!

Isaiah 9:6
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

John 14:27
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.

We see how being a peacemaker is following very closely with what Jesus did on Earth. Not only that, but also Jesus calls us not to be troubled or afraid, as most people will feel in the face of warring peoples, arguments, and disagreements. God heals all hurts, and calls us as His children to follow in His example by solving arguments, problems, and quarrels. This can be seen as simply being a friend. Friends mend their problems and work to resolve their differences. We are called to do the same with ALL people.

The first step is to find our own peace, then we can create it elsewhere. Pray to God for calmness, happiness, and safety in your life, then you can create it in the world and be worthy to be called a ’son of God.

Buzz