Jesus said, “Blessed are the peacemakers” (Matt.5:9). But not everybody in this world is a peacemaker. Some people are troublemakers. They enjoy making trouble, and sometimes we have to live or work with them. That’s the kind of situation the Psalmist found himself in when he wrote Psalm 120.

Ever since Cain killed Abel, we‘ve had conflict in this world. Nations war against one another; families fall apart; and even Christians don’t get along with each other. David went to conflict. Jesus went through it. And we experience it also. Still we are to be peacemakers—not peace breakers. After all, we have the peace of God in our hearts, and we have peace with Him—we are not at war with Him the way unsaved people are. So whatever we are, we will experience conflict but also the opportunity to bring peace.

“I am for peace,” the psalmist says (vs.7). Literally, the Hebrew text means, “I am peace. They are war.” Each of us is either a battlefield or a blessing. Each of us is either declaring war or declaring peace. Let’s ask God to help us in this wicked, conflicting world to be people who promote peace, not war.

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God’s people are to be peacemakers. This world of never—ending conflict affords many opportunities for you to make peace. However, peacemaking often is not easy. Strive to be a blessing to others—be a peacemaker.