Blessed Are the Peacemakers

Jesus famously said 'Blessed are the peacemakers ...' (Matthew 5 verse 9). Yet peacemaking is hard work. Genuine peacemaking is an active role, not simply sitting on the sidelines with hopes of a better future world.

And peacemaking risks being misunderstood by either one or even both fighting parties. It risks being caught in the crossfire in an awkward "no man's land" that none of the sides recognise the validity of. It can therefore be a lonely place.

To be a peacemaker means separating subtle yet clear distinctions in one's thinking. For instance, seeing the differences between the atrocities of people and the humanity of a people. The fact that hideous, outrageous and unjustifiable acts have been carried about by people does not mean it is right to 'label' a whole people group - even though a casual observer might only see them as effectively one and the same.

To be a peacemaker means accepting the humanity of all people groups involved. It also means recognising sustained and prolonged systemic injustices against a people, and affirming in clear terms their humanity and right to dignity (this is why the slogan 'Black Lives Matter' is valid to promote, even though we would of course assert 'All Lives Matter').

To be a peacemaker means striving not merely for a lack of violence, not merely for accepted co-existence, but a pathway towards all able to flourish without loss of their positive cultural heritage. That may seem an unbelievably lofty goal, but it surely has to be the ultimate hope of the peacemaker.

Jesus said 'Blessed are the peacemakers ...' in the context of other statements. The set of statements portray a spiritual struggle: a recognition of spiritual poverty, deep pain, and worldly power systems for what they are. A struggle for that which is right, a way of mercy rather revenge (no matter how measured or proportionate that revenge might be considered to be by others), and a way of purity amongst the carnage of fallen humanity. Into that progression Jesus drops this statement on peacemaking, and goes on to signal the people enacting this set face the real possibility of being directly attacked themselves.

In these statements Jesus is saying 'There is a way ...', and He is associating that Way with Himself - the Way that He leads and invites us to follow in. He closes out the set of statements with this chilling reality: to follow this Way might well lead you to be persecuted and maligned ... but that is part of the deal.

Blessed are the peacemakers ... but not an easy option.
Blessed are the peacemakers ... a role that sits in a bigger spiritual struggle - one in which Jesus leads and others are called to follow, most likely at deep personal cost to themselves.