“Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness” (James 3:18).
The picture James describes is that of a farmer quietly and peacefully going about the business of sowing his seed. Peacemakers are peace-loving and aren’t subject to the fighting and quarreling that mark so much of life. After all, the whole purpose of faith is to produce peace—peace with God, peace within ourselves and peace with others.
The New Living Translation helps us understand this verse. “And those who are peacemakers will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of goodness” (James 3:18, NLT). James said elsewhere, “Human anger does not produce the righteousness God desires” (James 1:20, NLT). Anger doesn’t help us as we sow; peacemaking will enable us to reap a harvest of goodness every time.
Anger is counter-productive. It harms rather than helps others. While peacemaking produces goodness, anger produces quarrels and fighting. Sons will inevitably resemble their fathers in some way. When we make peace we are sowing seeds of peace into our troubled world. We are reflecting the nature of our heavenly Father who is the heavenly Peacemaker. When we make peace we are revealing a family resemblance.
