The Beatitudes: Global Perspectives on the Way of JesusSample

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.” 

When you think of peace, what comes to mind? Is it a feeling of complete content? Is it the total absence of conflict in all areas of your life? When Jesus speaks of peace in the New Testament, his picture was much bigger than a quiet house or simple absence of war. It’s actually much more beautiful and expansive. 

When Jesus spoke of peacemakers in the Sermon of the Mount, he would have used the word “shalom” which, in Hebrew, refers to completeness or wholeness. Jesus' heart is to send us, his disciples, out into the world as administers of peace, reconciliation, and restoration in all areas of life—in our relationships, our communities, and in creation as a whole.  

Adam is a Compassion alumnus from the Philippines. He grew up in Mindanao, a cluster of islands known for its extreme violence. Because of its cultural and religious diversity, acts of terror and aggression amongst extremist groups occur regularly. 

With a passion for peace, Adam wanted to change his home for the better. With Compassion’s help, he graduated high school and was enrolled in Xavier University for Development Communications. As part of a class assignment, Adam began a social media campaign called I Am Mindanao to educate his peers about violent extremism and empower them to seek new, peacemaking solutions.  

Word of the campaign spread to the public and is now an active community with more than 42,500 online followers. It’s even gained attention as far as Washington D.C., where Adam was invited to share his campaign with international leaders and policymakers. 

Peacemaking can be administered in both big and small ways in our lives. Can you think of practical ways you can pursue peace in your life? In your community? In the world around you? 

Prayer: 

Jesus, you are the Prince of Peace. You call us to actively pursue a holy shalom—to partner with you in the restoration of all creation. Show me ways, both big and small, that I can be an instrument of peace in this world and in my own life. Amen.