Rise Up the Jesus Way: Peace
When Jesus sat on the mountainside and taught the crowds, He spoke words that still cut through the noise of our world today. Among His famous Beatitudes, He declared:
“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.”
(Matthew 5:9)
These are more than poetic lines. They are a call to action, a vision for how followers of Jesus are to rise up and live.
Peace: More Than the Absence of Conflict
If we go by the dictionary, peace is defined as “freedom from disturbance,” “tranquillity,” or “a state where war has ended.” While these ideas point us in the right direction, the biblical understanding of peace goes far deeper.
- Hebrew (Shalom): wholeness, completeness, prosperity, harmony with God, others, and creation.
- Greek (Eirene): inner rest, quietness, and tranquillity of the soul that comes from a right relationship with God.
Christian thinkers like Billy Graham and A.W. Tozer capture this beautifully: peace is not the absence of trouble, fear, or conflict—it is the presence of Christ.
This shifts everything. We don’t just look for peaceful circumstances; we look for the God who brings wholeness and rest even in the middle of chaos.
From Peacekeepers to Peacemakers
It’s one thing to keep peace—it’s another to make peace. A peacekeeper avoids conflict, tries not to stir the waters, and maintains calm. A peacemaker, however, is active. They step into tension with the intention of bringing reconciliation, healing, and God’s presence.
Jesus doesn’t call us to be passive peacekeepers. He calls us to be peacemakers—people who actively work to bring wholeness and restoration in a broken world.
The Easy-to-Read Version translates Matthew 5:9 this way:
“Great blessings belong to those who work to bring peace. God will call them his sons and daughters.”
Notice the word “work.” Peace-making is not an afterthought; it is a calling, a job, a mission.
The Qualities of a Peacemaker
If peacemaking is our role, what does it look like in practice? Here are some qualities to pursue:
1. Punctuality – Showing Up on Time
Being a peacemaker means acting promptly. Don’t wait until conflict festers or wounds deepen. Step into situations quickly, ready to bring God’s peace. Just as lateness in a job limits your effectiveness, delay in peacemaking limits what God can do through you.
2. Authenticity – Living as a Vessel of Peace
Our peace must flow from a genuine relationship with Jesus. When we’re rooted in prayer, scripture, and intimacy with God, we carry His peace naturally into conversations and situations. Sometimes we’ll see the impact immediately; other times we may never know how God used us. But if we’re authentic, His peace will overflow through us.
3. Going the Extra Mile
The best workers aren’t satisfied with the bare minimum—they give their best. In the same way, peacemakers go beyond what is convenient. They take risks, stretch themselves, and refuse to settle for half-hearted efforts.
4. A Wholehearted Attitude
Our attitude matters. When we carry cynicism, bitterness, or apathy, people notice. But when we bring joy, love, and Christ-centered hope, people notice that too. As Paul wrote:
“In all the work you are given, do the best you can. Work as though you are working for the Lord, not any earthly master.”
(Colossians 3:23)
Peacemakers are marked by wholehearted service. We don’t serve God reluctantly—we serve Him with honour, knowing we carry His peace into a restless world.
5. Sacrifice – The Cost of Peace
True peace often comes with sacrifice. Consider the Good Samaritan. He gave his time, resources, and compassion to care for a wounded man who should have been his enemy. Or the friends of the paralysed man who carried him to Jesus, breaking through the roof so their friend could find healing.
In both cases, peace came because someone sacrificed. As peacemakers, we too must be willing to give—our comfort, time, energy, and resources—so that others can encounter God’s peace.
The Challenge of Peacemaking
Jesus doesn’t shy away from the difficulty of this calling. Immediately after blessing the peacemakers, He says:
“Great blessings belong to those who suffer persecution for doing what is right. God’s kingdom belongs to them.”
(Matthew 5:10)
Peacemaking will not always win applause. Sometimes it will bring resistance, misunderstanding, or even hostility. But we are not called to conform to the world’s chaos—we are called to rise up differently, the Jesus way.
The blessing is clear: peacemakers are called children of God. This isn’t a symbolic title; it’s a declaration of identity and inheritance. The King of creation calls us His sons and daughters. His kingdom is our home. There is no greater reward.
Finding Peace to Make Peace
Here’s a simple truth: we cannot give what we do not have. If we are not living in God’s peace, it will be difficult to bring it to others. That’s why we must continually return to Him—through prayer, worship, Scripture, and the support of fellow believers.
Yes, it’s good to rest, relax, and enjoy life’s simple pleasures. But true peace is only found in Christ. He is our shelter, our refuge, and our wholeness. And when we find our peace in Him, we are empowered to share it with others.
Rise Up in Peace
We live in a world filled with conflict, anxiety, and division. But Jesus calls His followers to rise up—not with anger, fear, or force, but with peace. Not simply to keep things calm, but to actively make things whole.
To be a peacemaker is to live the Jesus way. It is to step into brokenness with healing, into conflict with reconciliation, and into despair with hope.
And when we do, we carry the greatest blessing: the identity of children of God, heirs of His eternal kingdom.
5 Questions for Reflection
- In what areas of my life am I simply keeping peace instead of actively making peace?
- How can I cultivate a deeper sense of God’s peace in my own heart this week?
- What relationships or situations might require me to “go the extra mile” to bring peace?
- Am I willing to sacrifice time, comfort, or resources so that others can experience God’s peace?
- How might living as a peacemaker change the way others see Jesus in me?
✦ “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.”