Conversation Point

In This Moment

Peace In Our Times

Suicide bombings in Egypt and Great Britain have shaken the boundaries of safety and peace in the Western world. A newspaper headline in my local paper was surely echoed in your town: Is the United States next? We are not in a position to answer that question, or control those who may be planning exactly that prospect. But we are not without hope or ability to act for the cause of peace in our world. In fact, as people of faith, we are obligated to do so.

First, we must understand what this peace is that we are working for. How do you define peace? An air of calm or tranquility? An absence of conflict or relief from war? The Oxford dictionary adds a third definition: freedom from evil disorder. The book of Genesis tells us that god created the universe and our planet by bringing order our of chaos. What we are witnessing around us in these terrorist attacks are people whose lives are so overtaken by despair, hopelessness and evil that they are willing to literally blow apart other people's lives with their own bodies. As people of faith we are one with God's continuous, loving, creating, ordered nature. The peace we are working for is freedom from this kind of disorder and fear that evil can produce.

Second, we must recognize that the peace we are working for is not just "out there," but in our own lives. Are you an instrument of peace in your household and your community? How is your patience level with long lines and stressed out customer service representatives? What did you do with that juicy tidbit of information about the couple you met at a friend's party last week? What was the decibel level of your voice the last time you reminded your child to complete a task you had already asked them to do several times? what did you say the last time a relative tried to give you advice you didn't want or need?

If your immediate reaction is hostility, anger or rudeness, you are not alone. We can choose hostility, anger or rudeness over kindness, patience and understanding only if we really want to maintain a status quo of misery and frustration. If we desire God's peace, as people who claim a faith that is freed from evil disorder, we will need to get serious about treating each other as if we want peace. None of this is a "he said/she said" match up. All of this is a personal, moment to moment decision making-process to seek peace, to be an instrument of peace in our own lives.
Third, by living lives as instruments of God's peace, we can do some of the most important work of peace: we can pray. We ca be the peacemakers who pray for the people whose lives are being directly shredded and dismantled by the disorder and chaos of war and terrorism. we can pray for the people whose skills and gifts are focused on rebuilding Iraq into a safe, beautiful country. Our prayers can directly support the people whose minds and hearts are about creating order in the world that is just, merciful and peaceful.

Jesus said,"blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God." People who choose to work for peace are blessed and are recognized as coming from the originator of peace. Prayer might not seem like much, considering what we are up against, mainly the unknown. But we have everything to gain by giving it our best in concert with the One who continues to give us the best. We have the ability and the tools to work for peace in our world.

Until next time, God's blessings.

posted by Cory L. Kemp @ 10:10 PM