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Blessed Are the Peacemakers
*“Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.”* – **Matthew 5:9, KJV 1611**
This verse, part of the Lord’s timeless Beatitudes, reveals the sacred identity of those who carry peace into a fractured world. A true peacemaker is more than a bystander avoiding conflict—they are bridge-builders who step boldly into brokenness, offering understanding, forgiveness, and grace. In a world often ruled by self-interest and division, Jesus lifts up those who bring harmony as ones who reflect the very heart of God.
Their reward is not just peace among men, but divine recognition: *they shall be called the children of God.* Just as Jesus bore the cross to reconcile humanity to the Father, those who strive for peace mirror the Son’s mission. Whether quieting strife in a household, fostering reconciliation in a congregation, or standing between divided hearts, the peacemaker’s work becomes a living echo of Christ’s love. Their identity as God's children isn’t a mere title—it’s a likeness revealed in their every act of grace.
So let us rise to this sacred calling. Let us seek peace. Speak peace. *Be* peace. In doing so, we honor our Maker and show the world what it means to belong to His family. May our lives reflect His calm in the troubles of life, His gentleness amid noise, and His healing where there is pain. For in living as peacemakers, we walk in the footsteps of the Prince of Peace Himself.
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Jesus is called the *Prince of Peace* in **Isaiah 9:6**, a prophetic verse often read during the Advent and Christmas seasons. The verse in the **1611 King James Version** reads:
“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government shall bee upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counseller, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.”
This powerful passage foretells the coming of the Messiah—Jesus Christ—and highlights His divine titles. “Prince of Peace” speaks to His mission of reconciliation: bringing peace between God and humanity, and offering inner peace to all who trust in Him.
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Susan Barker Nikitenko 2025© AnnaBenMBMPFamSSPMPBKB<RMNM
“Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.”
“The Tears of the Peacemaker”
In the quiet hills of Kentucky, where the grass bends like bowed heads beneath the morning dew, an old church bell rang low and lonely.** Inside, twelve-year-old Elijah sat alone in a creaky pew, his fists clenched. His father had just been deployed. His uncle, who once taught Sunday school, now burned with bitterness toward the world—and told Elijah, “Peacemakers just get walked on.” Elijah didn’t argue, but he wondered why his heart hurt more after hearing that.
That evening, Elijah stumbled upon an old prayer journal tucked in the corner of the church library.** It belonged to Sister Mae, a forgotten elder with gnarled hands and a voice like oak roots—quiet, deep, steady. She had once written: *“A peacemaker doesn’t avoid battle… he walks into it with heaven in his eyes.”* Elijah wept. Not loud. Just quiet tears that dripped onto the fragile pages like rain on dry ground.
The next week, two boys fought behind the school gym. Words like blades. Fists like hammers.** Elijah stood there, trembling. Then something in him cracked open. He stepped between them—not with shouts, but with a whisper: “This isn’t who you are.” At first, they stared. Then one dropped his fists. The other turned away. And peace—fragile as glass, real as breath—settled between them. Elijah didn’t walk away proud. He walked away changed.
At Sunday service, his uncle asked why his knuckles were bruised. Elijah smiled. “I stopped someone from getting worse ones.”** His uncle didn’t laugh. But he didn’t scoff, either. Instead, he watched Elijah from across the room while the choir sang, *“Let there be peace on earth, and let it begin with me.”* His fingers tapped along, slow and thoughtful. A small thaw.
Because that’s the secret, isn’t it? Peacemakers don’t always wear halos or robes—they wear bruises and backaches, prayers and purpose.** They are not weak. They are the storm’s anchor. The flame in the fog. And according to Jesus Himself—they are called not by titles, but by blood: *the children of God.*
Susan Barker Nikitenko 2025© AnnaBenMBMPFamSSPMPBKB<RMNM
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“The King Who Whispers Peace”
A poem for a child’s heart
There once was a King with kind, quiet eyes,
Who came to the world beneath stormy skies.
But He didn’t wear armor, or shout when He spoke—
He whispered peace, and the darkness broke.
He walked on the waves when the sea turned wild,
And held out His hand to every child.
When people were fighting, He knelt in the sand,
And drew love in the dust with His gentle hand.
His crown wasn’t gold—it was made out of thorns,
To heal all our hurts, our fears, and our storms.
He could have called angels to win every war…
But instead, He brought peace to our hearts evermore.
So when you feel scared, or angry, or small,
Remember the King who sees it all.
He doesn’t always change the things that we see—
But He whispers, *“Take heart… you have peace, through Me.”
Susan Barker Nikitenko 2025© AnnaBenMBMPFamSSPMPBKB<RMNM
[Verse melody]
(C) There once was a King with (Am) kind, quiet eyes,
(F) Who came to the world (G) beneath stormy skies.
(Em) He whispered His love in the (Am) heart of the night,
(F) And the world felt His (G) peace, soft and (C) bright.
[Bridge melody]
(F) He calmed the wind, He (C) stilled the rain,
(Am) He comforted my (G) fear and pain.
(F) So close your eyes, don’t (C) be afraid,
(Am) His peace is near—
(F) He’s here—
(G) He stays.
[Final Line]
(C) The King who whispers peace… (F) He’s whispering to (C) you.
Susan Barker Nikitenko 2025© AnnaBenMBMPFamSSPMPBKB<RMNM
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