Saturday, January 9, 2021
The Rev. Rob Stevens
Peace
I have been praying for Peace for most of my life…never more than lately. If you receive an email or note from me often you’ll notice that I sign off with a simple “Peace.” This is not meant to be trite but rather a reminder…for me…to always seek peace. But what do we mean when we say seek peace or work for peace? What does Peace really mean? Frederick Buechner is my go-to many times when looking for a way to understand the words of our faith. He has a few marvelous little books that seek to define our Vocabulary of Faith. This is what he has to say about Peace…
“Peace has come to mean the time when there aren't any wars or even when there aren't any major wars. Beggars can't be choosers; we'd most of us settle for that. But in Hebrew peace, shalom, means fullness, means having everything you need to be wholly and happily yourself.
One of the titles by which Jesus is known is Prince of Peace, and he used the word himself in what seem at first glance to be two radically contradictory utterances. On one occasion he said to the disciples, "Do not think that I have come to bring peace on earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword" (Matthew 10:34). And later on, the last time they ate together, he said to them, "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you" (John 14:27).
The contradiction is resolved when you realize that, for Jesus, peace seems to have meant not the absence of struggle, but the presence of love.”
I am an optimist…I look for the bright side. Yet even I do not think that we are all going to magically agree and see things the same…but I do believe we can love. We can call out injustice, stand up and raise our voices for the marginalized and oppressed, we can proclaim by word (but more importantly by example) the Gospel of love that is Jesus Christ…this is the work of love. We can do these things while continuing to pray and remember that we are ALL apart of the same family…the human family and many times the people we can learn the most from differ from us the most. That is the peace that surpasses understanding…that is the Peace that is the most valuable. There is a saying, “Simplicity on this side of complexity is not worth a whit, but simplicity on the other side of complexity is worth everything.” Let us pray and work for the peace that lies on the other side of complexity not settling for easy answers that hold no meaning.
I share with you a passage of scripture that is bathroom mirror worthy and please friends pray (and work) for peace.
Philippians 4:7-9
And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Finally, beloved, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. Keep on doing the things that you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and the God of peace will be with you.