What in the World does Peace look like?
BY Pastor Jerry
Around Christmas time you hear so often songs lifting notes on high for “Peace on Earth.” And I think deep down in each one of us we resonate with a longing for such peace. But not only is there a yearning for peace in the world, but we ache for peace at home, and peace within our families. And most importantly, we need peace within ourselves.
We long for peace on earth, but just as important if not more so, we long for peace in our own hearts.
Certainly around the world we discover nation after nation with its troubles of greed, of hate, and violence, and evil, and absolute disregard for the sanctity of human life. But you don’t have to travel to another country to experience such grave harm toward other human beings. Actually, every day we are confronted with sexual violations, mass shootings, murders in our neighborhoods, and ironically, these occurrences are not only with strangers, but are found in our own families, literally, with our brothers and sisters.
How heartbreaking it is to see so much disregard for the sanctity of human life.
You know, don’t you, that the longing for peace on earth is not a new thing? Throughout history we read the most hideous stories about jealousy, selfishness, pride, greed, and lawlessness, which in the end, turns deadly. And by the way, if you think about it, violence doesn’t start with the fight; it begins in a heart that has turned cold and hardened because of self-centered desires.
Violence explodes from within a confined, inward, self-serving heart.
Go all the way back to the beginning to the first recorded murder, the one with Cain and Abel (Genesis 4:1-8). I seem to remember that scripture points out that Cain became jealous of Abel (jealous of the sacrifice Abel offered). Then Cain’s jealousy turned to resentment which turned into hatred for his brother, and finally his hatred manifested itself with murder. (The murder became the means to get Abel out of the way so that Cain could fulfill his selfish desire of being the big guy, the important one, the one in charge). At least that’s the way I see it.
Hate’s offspring is violence, love’s child is Peace!
If what I have been saying is true, and I most certainly believe that it is, then, what in the world does peace look like? Even though the answer is simple, however, reaching the end results is so much more complex. The simple answer is to let love be our goal. The difficulty in accomplishing this is that it requires empting ourselves of resentment, of anger, of jealousy, selfishness, greed, and then, being transformed into a vessel that can be filled with love, and joy, and kindness, and goodness, and self-control. (Galatians 5:16-26).
That’s it, that’s what Peace looks like in the world—a spirited filled life!
The songs we sing at Christmas for “Peace on Earth” are not only our longing but our reality. What I’m saying is that peace on earth was made possible by the gift to the whole world at Christmas with the coming of the Prince of Peace, Jesus the Christ. Therefore, when Jesus is born anew in our hearts, born anew in our lives, and becomes our Lord and the love of our lives, then and only then, can we love one another as we should. Only then will we have a love for brothers and sisters, a love for neighbors, a love for nations, and yes – even a love for enemies. Only then will we have peace within, and have peace with others, and have peace on earth.
What in the world does peace look like? It’s the love of Jesus being lived out in the generous hands, in the kind words, in the joyful hugs, and in the loving hearts of you and me for one anther.
What do you think? I want to hear from you about what in the World does Peace look like to you for Christmas!
Check out my Advent Series: All I Want for Christmas
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