Diffusing Peace

By Danny Saavedra

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.”—Matthew 5:9 (NIV)

Diffusers are astonishingly useful to modern life. This tool—in its various incarnations—is used to distribute the light of a lamp evenly throughout a room, to ensure an entire area gets air conditioning as it deflects it from a single outlet, and to spread a nice fragrance or soothing oil into a room. Essentially, this device takes in a substance like light or air and spreads it around in all directions.

As we examine today’s Beatitude, I want you to keep this image of a diffuser in mind. Why? Because that’s pretty much what Jesus is describing. When He says, “Blessed are the peacemakers,” He is calling for us to be peace-diffusers in the world.

The Greek word for a peacemaker is eirēnopoioi, which means “pacific, loving peace; one who bravely declares the Word of God and the harmony of God, which makes someone whole.” So it’s not just someone who is peaceable themselves, who has the wholeness of God in them, it’s also someone who lives in a way that promotes peace with others and invokes peace in others. It’s describing the believer as they transform from peace-receiver to peace-diffuser. And now, as one Bible commentary put it, “God is thus seen reflected in them; and by the family likeness these peacemakers are recognized as the children of God.”

To me, one of the key aspects in the process of going from peace-receiver to peace-diffuser is that it’s a natural byproduct of our study of His Word and our commitment to prayer. When we engage in a two-way conversation with the Lord, growing in Him, getting to know Him better, understanding who He is . . . our lives begin to change. Our speech, our attitudes, and the way we treat others changes.

As His Spirit begins to pour into us, His Spirit will also begin to pour out of us. That’s why Paul tells us in Romans 8:14 (NIV), “For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God.” His Spirit instills in us the peace of God that surpasses understanding and diffuses it into the world.

So, as children of God, I believe it’s our job to regularly evaluate what we’re diffusing into the world. Just like your air conditioner’s filter needs to be cleaned before the diffuser can send out clean, cool air, our internal filter needs to be dusted off and washed to clear out the gunk and dirt accumulated from the world.

DIG: Do a word study on peace using a Bible application site.

DISCOVER: What are you doing to diffuse peace into your sphere of influence?

DISPLAY: As you go about your week, ask the Lord to give you the patience, grace, compassion, and love necessary to be an effective peace-diffuser, and be intentional about it in your interactions