We are living in a time when persistent violence on a global scale holds media headlines daily. Jesus also lived amidst extreme brutality—consider the manner of his own death. But rather than cast his lot with one side of many warring factions of his own day, Jesus acknowledged the fear that causes cycles of harm and called his followers to live differently within it.

Jesus’ perspective is echoed in his most famous teaching regarding conflict: ‘Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.’ (Matthew 5:9) Sadly, this is not a perspective we hear as often as we should, even among Christians, even in many churches. There are challenging, but reasonable questions that should be asked amongst faith communities in the current context: What are we hearing of peace in our own churches? Where is the voice for peace being amplified, among those who follow the Prince of Peace?

Where is the voice for peace being amplified, among those who follow the Prince of Peace?

Jesus did not say peacekeepers; the explicit words are peace makers—those who, even in places of horrific, polarising conflict, actively create possibilities for reconciliation, healing, and justice. Jesus’ peacemaking is not sentimental; it is costly, deliberate, and grounded in love for neighbour. This is especially true when that neighbour is distant or unfamiliar, and we may not be able to fully understand their perspective.

Today the Middle East is once again confronted with wars and rumours of wars, and while the news cycle moves on faster than in Jesus’ day, the human cost of such conflict grows with a ferocity reflective of technological advances that demonstrate our insatiable desire for violent efficiency. And hose who suffer most are those caught up in the violence, simply because of the place they were born.

In Lebanon, where we have been working with our Baptist brothers and sisters for many years, renewed violence and economic crisis have combined to displace hundreds of thousands of families. It is difficult to imagine the anxiety landing on people who have once again been forced from their homes, not knowing if they will be able to return. For Christians, perhaps the most important questions are not actually about historical complexities, but what a faithful response to this reality looks like.

The Imago Dei

One of the basic tenets of Christian faith is the doctrine of the Imago Dei : that every human being bears the image of God. Morethan an abstract realm of theology, this is a moral claim that should shape how we see the world and its human inhabitants. Every life caught up in conflict, regardless of nationality, ethnicity, religion, or political affiliation, possesses inherent dignity and worth. Peacemaking begins when we refuse narratives that reduce people to sides, statistics, or stereotypes.

Every life caught up in conflict, regardless of nationality, ethnicity, religion, or political affiliation, possesses inherent dignity and worth.

The late theologian Walter Brueggemann described biblical peace as a vision of wholeness, right relationship, and shared human flourishing. He insisted the task of God’s people is to tell the truth about suffering and to embody hope through alternative ways of living, resisting the despair that accepts that violence is always inevitable.

Similarly, Wendell Berry reminds us that peace is forged through the slow, patient work of care for others. His ‘peaceable’ communities parallel Jesus’ exhortation to act in ways that reject domination and instead cultivate responsibility for one another. In this sense, peace is practiced before it is proclaimed. It asks deeper questions like:

  • What does love of neighbour require in a wounded world?
  • How do we remain attentive without becoming hardened?
  • What does faithfulness look like when solutions are complex and outcomes uncertain?

Jesus’ instruction not to be ‘alarmed’ does not mean we turn away; it means we stay awake without surrendering to fear. We lament honestly, pray persistently, and act concretely.

Tangible Action  

This is where Christian compassion can be met with tangible action. In Lebanon, Baptist World Aid Australia’s local Christian partners are responding to urgent needs created by displacement and instability. They are providing essentials such as food, mattresses, blankets, and hygiene items. This is an opportunity for us to make practical expressions of care offered without discrimination, rooted in the love of Christ.

Supporting this work is one way we can participate in the calling to be peacemakers, and while it of course does not resolve the conflict, it does affirm dignity and witness to a different way of being human, one that is shaped by mercy rather than fear.

Amid wars and rumours of wars, peacemaking remains a faithful, hopeful, and necessary pursuit.

As followers of Jesus, we are invited to live as signs of God’s coming peace in how we love.

Blessed are the peacemakers.