Judging from the condition of our world today, it seems that there are very few peacemakers left. Wars, fighting, and riots continue more than ever before. Churches are divided into innumerable numbers of splinter groups. Families are broken down; divorces and separations result when peacemakers are missing. Human hearts are troubled for the same reason. Peace is a very elusive element, and people have not learned how to gain it. Highly educated statesmen and politicians are not able to bring peace into the world. They are not true peacemakers.
Yet Jesus said, “Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.” Matthew 5:9
Opposite to peacemakers are troublemakers. “An ungodly man diggeth up evil: and in his lips there is as a burning fire. A froward man soweth strife: and a whisperer separateth chief friends.” Proverbs 16:27–28
Sister White writes about a brother in the church. “Brother C wants his mind to control others, and unless he can have this privilege he is dissatisfied. He is not a peacemaker. His course will cause more confusion and distrust in a church than any ten persons can counteract. His peculiar temperament is such that he will be picking flaws, and finding fault with all but himself. He will not prosper until he learns the lesson that he ought to have learned years ago, humbleness of mind.” –Testimonies for the Church, vol. 2, p. 389
Also, Sister White writes about a sister in the church. “Sister F moves from impulse, and finds fault, and has had too much to say against her brethren and sisters. This will cause confusion in any church. If she could control her own spirit, a great victory would be gained.” –Ibid., p. 51
One of the hardest things to do is to be a peacemaker. It requires much patience, sacrifice, and love. Isaac was an example of a good peacemaker. In Genesis chapter 26 we find a story about him digging a well, and when it was finished, the herdsmen of Gerar came and claimed it to themselves. Instead of fighting for his rights, he moved on and dug another well. Even this the herdsmen of Gerar claimed to themselves; then again, without fighting or arguing, Isaac moved on and dug a third well. So remarkable was this incident that it has been recorded in the Bible as an excellent example of a peacemaker.
We read in 1 Corinthians 13:5, “Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil.” For a selfish, covetous person this is a hard lesson to learn.
Today, people would ridicule and laugh at Isaac as a foolish, spineless man, a floor mat for others to walk over.
Abigail was a peacemaker. She was the wife of a rich man, Nabal, who owned 3,000 sheep, and 1,000 goats, and much land. When David sent his young men to him for provisions, he insulted them and refused to give anything. David’s anger was aroused because he had protected Nabal’s property against his enemies, and he wanted to destroy Nabal and his household. When Abigail heard of this she went to meet David, “And fell at his feet, and said, Upon me, my lord, upon me let this iniquity be: and let thine handmaid, I pray thee, speak in thine audience, and hear the words of thine handmaid. . . . I pray thee, forgive the trespass of thine handmaid: for the LORD will certainly make my lord a sure house; because my lord fighteth the battles of the LORD, and evil hath not been found in thee all thy days.” 1 Samuel 25:24, 28
Abigail was not guilty of the insult to David. She did not even know what her husband had said, but she took the insult upon herself. She confessed the wrong as if she would have done it. This calmed David, and he thanked her for preventing him from shedding blood that day.
Jesus, our peacemaker, also took the guilt of the sinner upon Himself. By His sacrifice He was able to unite the lost human family with God, and make eternal peace.
For a person to be an effective peacemaker, he must be very humble. Jacob humbled himself before his brother, Esau and called him his lord.
A successful peacemaker will also be an overcomer through Christ. “If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me.” Psalm 66:18. Sometimes a peacemaker takes the guilt upon himself as in the case of Jesus, Abilgail, and others like Daniel. Jesus said, “Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee; Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.” Matthew 5:23–24
The man with the gift had nothing against his brother, but he remembered that his brother had something against him. Even then it was his duty to go and reconcile with his brother, before offering his gift to God.
Sister White relates the story of Brother Howland. Brother Howland went to the house of a poor fisherman who had not come to the church meetings for some time. “Brother Howland went to his house and knelt before him, saying: ‘My brother, forgive me. What is it that I have done?’ The man took him by the arm and tried to raise him to his feet. ‘No,’ said Brother Howland, ‘what have you against me?’ ‘I have nothing against you.’ ‘But you must have,’ said Brother Howland, ‘because once we could speak to one another, but now you do not speak to me at all, and I want to know what is the matter.’
“‘Get up, Brother Howland,’ he said. ‘No,’ said Brother Howland, ‘I will not.’ ‘Then I must get down,’ he said, and he fell on his knees, and confessed how childish he had been and how many evil surmisings he had cherished. ‘And now,’ he said, ‘I will put them all away.’
“As Brother Howland told this story, his face shone with the glory of the Lord. Just as he had finished, the fisherman and his family came in, and we had an excellent meeting.” –Testimonies for the Church, vol. 9, p. 192
Jesus, the true peacemaker, does not accuse, but He defends the guilty one. The words of Jesus to Mary, “neither do I condemn thee,” were like sweet music in the ears of one who was condemned to die for her sins.
Jesus defended the high priest, Joshua, whom Satan accused. “And he shewed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him. And the LORD said unto Satan, The LORD rebuke thee, O Satan; even the LORD that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee: is not this a brand plucked out of the fire? Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and stood before the angel. And He answered and spake unto those that stood before Him, saying, Take away the filthy garments from him. And unto him He said, Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment. And I said, Let them set a fair mitre upon his head. So they set a fair mitre upon his head, and clothed him with garments. And the angel of the LORD stood by.” Zechariah 3:1–5
A peacemaker loves both parties, otherwise his work would not be successful. A peacemaker loves God, and he loves also the sinner, and he tries to bring them into unity.
When the peacemaker hears evil spoken of someone, he immediately goes into action, defending the one defamed, and brings out some of his good qualities, and rather than adding fuel to the fire, he pours water on it.
Normally we do not speak evil of a person whom we love; the love must die first, then evil can be spoken of him. True peacemakers must therefore bring love into the soul, and this love works wonders, uniting the people. The love of God will remove bitterness, and ill-feelings, and then peace becomes possible.
The last church on the earth is called Elijah; his work is to bring peace among the people. “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD: And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.” Malachi 4:5–6
Peacemakers love their enemies; their work is to change them to be their friends. Yet there is one thing that peacemakers cannot do, they cannot compromise their principles. They know that true peace cannot be purchased by compromise. If peace with the wicked can be secured only by compromise, or by disregarding the law, then let there be a war. Millions of martyrs are witnesses of this war that has continued for 6,000 years. From outside they seem as victims, but in reality they are the winners and their persecutors are the losers.
God is calling each one of us to be a peacemaker. Even one peacemaker in the family or in the church is a great blessing to everyone. There is a kingdom of peace where no troublemakers are allowed, only the ones who will follow the example of Isaac, Jacob, Abigail, and Jesus will be there. If you accept this calling, the peace of heaven that passes all understanding will fill your own heart also. Amen.
Timo Martin