8 Resolutions Jesus Would Be Happy WithSample

7. Resolve to Make Peace, Not Just Keep It

By the time Jesus spoke these words, the world around Him was ready to explode, kind of like ours. Roman soldiers patrolled every corner. Religious factions split over how to survive or resist. The poor lived with disappointment, while the powerful debated doctrine. Everyone was on edge.

And into that world of tension and trauma, Jesus speaks, “Blessed are the peacemakers.”

Not a sentiment.

Not a vague hope for good vibes.

But a radical, costly calling.

Jesus doesn’t say “peacekeepers.” He says peacemakers, the ones who step into conflict not to keep things calm, but to bring real healing. The Greek word Jesus uses us, eirēnopoios, which is a fusion of two Greek words, eirēnē (peace) and poieō which means to make or to do.

As you can see, peacemaking is not passive.
It’s creative.
It’s someone who builds peace with their own two hands.

A peacemaker doesn’t just hope things get better. They participate with God in making things whole.

A Peacemakers move toward the pain.

They step into fractured families, divided communities, and polarized conversations.

They absorb the tension and bring presence. Because peace, in the Bible, isn’t just the absence of war, it’s shalom.

Wholeness. Harmony. Right relationship:

With God.

With others.

With creation itself.

This beatitude calls us to not just believe in peace, but to make it. To roll up our sleeves and do the hard work of reconciliation. And it is hard work.

To be a peacemaker in this cultural moment is to stand between extremes and take hits from both sides. It’s to be misunderstood by those who want to fight and dismissed by those who don’t care. But Jesus knows that tension firsthand. He didn’t just talk about peace, He made it.

God was pleased… to reconcile to Himself all things… by making peace through His blood, shed on the cross. (Colossians 1:19-20, NIV)

That’s the kind of peace Jesus is talking about.

Not a ceasefire, a new creation.

Not soft sentiment, cross-shaped reconciliation.

And here’s the thing, this is the only beatitude where Jesus speaks of identity. “...they will be called children of God.” (Matthew 5:9, NIV) Because peacemaking is the family business.

When we choose reconciliation over retaliation…

When we forgive instead of cancel…

When we build bridges instead of burning them…

We look like our Father.

We reflect the Son, who tore down the dividing wall of hostility (Ephesians 2:14).

We walk in step with the Spirit, who bears peace as fruit (Galatians 5:22).

The world loves to divide people into teams.

Outrage is profitable.

Contempt is viral.

But Jesus says,

“Blessed are the ones who don’t play that game.”

Not the ones who always win the argument.

Not the ones who retreat from the mess.

The ones who step into the middle, with gentleness, clarity, and courage.

Peacemakers often get walked on.

But they also get recognized, as sons and daughters of the living God.

They carry the family resemblance.

This isn’t just interpersonal; it’s holistic…

Upward: Peace with God, living reconciled through grace.

Inward: Peace within, surrendering anxiety and receiving presence.

Outward: Peace with others, mending what sin has torn apart.

To make peace is to show the world a different kingdom, one not built on domination, but on love. Jesus is saying, “Blessed are the ones who refuse the easy way of sides and slogans and instead choose the slow, sacred way of reconciliation.”

Because when you make peace, you reveal God’s heart. And when the world sees that kind of love, it knows, even if it can’t name it, that you belong to Him.

Prayer

Father, make me a peacemaker. Not just someone who avoids conflict, but someone who brings healing into it. Give me courage to step into tension, wisdom to speak with gentleness, and love that mirrors Yours. Where there’s division, use me to bring restoration. Where there’s pain, use me to bring presence. Make me look like You. Amen.

Reflection

Where is God inviting you to step toward reconciliation rather than avoidance? What first, humble step could you take—apology, listening, or bridge-building?