Jesus said, 'Blessed are the peacemakers.' And I think a lot of

The words of Mike Huckabee call us back to the ancient wisdom spoken by Christ Himself: “Blessed are the peacemakers.” Yet Huckabee reminds us that many fail to grasp the depth of this teaching. For there is a chasm between being a peace lover and being a peacemaker. To love peace is easy, for all men dream of quiet fields and safe homes. But to make peace is hard, for it demands labor, sacrifice, courage, and often pain. Peace does not fall like dew from heaven—it is forged, like iron, by those willing to stand in the heat of conflict and shape harmony where once there was strife.

The peace lover delights in the idea of peace, much as one might admire a jewel or speak softly of serenity. But as Huckabee declares, “wearing jewelry around your neck and saying ‘I love peace’ doesn’t bring it.” Such love is passive, a sentiment, a word uttered without cost. The world is full of those who say they want peace, yet do nothing to bring it forth. The peacemaker, however, enters the chaos. He steps between warring sides, reconciles enemies, and offers forgiveness where bitterness has taken root. The peacemaker bleeds, sacrifices, and sometimes is despised by both sides, for the labor of reconciliation is not adorned with glory but burdened with scars.

History gives us living proof. Consider Mahatma Gandhi, who did not merely speak of peace but wielded it as a weapon sharper than any sword. In the face of empire and injustice, he marched, fasted, and endured prison, all in the cause of forging peace through nonviolence. Or think of Martin Luther King Jr., who walked unarmed into the jaws of hatred, demanding justice without revenge, reconciliation without surrender. They were not merely lovers of peace, sitting in the comfort of ideals—they were makers of peace, builders of bridges in a world eager to burn them.

Even Christ Himself did not bless the peace lovers, but the peacemakers. He knew that to make peace is to imitate the very heart of God, who reconciles the world to Himself. Yet He also knew it would demand suffering. For to make peace often means to surrender pride, to forgive when vengeance seems sweeter, to labor when weariness cries out for rest. The peacemaker must face ridicule, opposition, and misunderstanding, yet presses on because the fruit of his work is life itself.

What, then, is the lesson for us, children of today’s troubled age? It is this: do not be content with the shallow comfort of declaring your love of peace. Let your life prove it. When conflict arises—in your family, your community, or your nation—be the one who steps into the breach. When bitterness festers, be the one who speaks forgiveness. When hatred divides, be the one who extends the hand of reconciliation. For it is in such deeds that peace is born, not in slogans, ornaments, or empty dreams.

Practically, this means cultivating habits of reconciliation. Speak gently when others shout in anger. Seek to understand before demanding to be understood. Resist the temptation of gossip, vengeance, or pride. Instead, be deliberate in sowing harmony: mend broken relationships, offer apologies swiftly, defend the weak, and bring calm where there is turmoil. In every act, remind yourself: peace is not wished into being; it is made.

So let Huckabee’s words, rooted in the eternal teaching of Christ, echo in your soul: “Blessed are the peacemakers.” Not the dreamers of peace, not the lovers of peace, but the doers, the builders, the laborers who transform conflict into communion. If you would live a life of meaning, do not simply say, “I love peace.” Rise, work, sacrifice, and become a maker of peace. For such as these, Christ declares, shall be called the children of God.