Can you be a shalom peacemaker if you do not have shalom yourself?

The other night we were studding the beatitude “Blessed are the peacemakers, For they shall be called sons of God” (Matthew 5:9). And we asked ourselves what is peace? The first thoughts were that it is the absence or cessation of hostilities, no longer pointing guns at each others heads, but still keeping the guns. But the ones to whom this beatitude was given were Jews, and they would have understood this peace to be the Hebrew concept of shalom. Shalom has the much broader meaning of peace, harmony, wholeness, completeness, prosperity, welfare and tranquility. And the fact of the matter is that most peacemakers in the world today facilitate the cessation of hostilities, not the bringing the wider concept of shalom.

When Jesus commissioned the twelve to go out to preach the gospel and heal the sick He told them “when you go into a household, greet it. If the household is worthy, let your peace come upon it” (Matthew 10:12, 13). When Jesus speaks here of “your peace,” He is talking about the shalom peace that He gives (John 14:27). And the implication of “let your peace come upon it,” has the sense that we, like Jesus can give it to others. But the last half of Matthew 10:13 instructs the disciples to let their peace return if the household it not worthy. I have the sense here that we are not “cast our pearls before swine” (Matthew 7:6) in other words to not indiscriminately give away you peace. I find in my own life, that I can easily loose my peace, and that when I do it is something of a battle to receive it again (see Philippians 4:4-8).

Jesus calls peacemakers “blessed” and “children of God.” Peacemakers are children of God because peacemakers are doing the work of the heavenly Father to bring peace to as many as will receive Him (John 1:12). But to answer the question in the title we cannot be a shalom maker if we do not have shalom. You cannot give what you do not have. Being a peacemaker is often very difficult, since many times you are absorbing the tension and the accusations etc., from the warring parties. And if you are not very carful you will be blamed by both sides for not taking their side. The picture I have of this is someone trying to come between warring dogs. Nevertheless, the World desperately needs peacemakers. We are not all, I believe, called to be peacemakers between man and man. But we are in fact all called to be peacemakers between man and God (2 Corinthians 5:20). But be it between man and man, or between man and God, we need both His shalom and His wisdom about the when, and the where and the how of doing it.

Father, thank You this morning for the peace that passes all understanding (Philippians 4:7). Thank You that this peace is readily available to us (John 14:27). In fact it is part of the fruit of the Spirit that grows in us as we stay vitally connected to You (Galatians 5:22). Help us this morning Lord to rest in Your peace and be willing to share it as You lead us to, in Jesus Name Amen