Paths of Peace

Proverbs 3:17 Her ways are pleasant ways, and all her paths are peace.
Galatians 3:28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

Quite recently, at a conference, a keynote speaker said something like, "If we want peace in our land, we've got to stop making war with the rest of the world." It sounds very sensible and these days, in the midst of a long, protracted and ugly war, it's a message that is beginning to gain voice.

But it's not the complete answer. According to this passage from Proverbs, all paths of wisdom bring peace. All paths. Perhaps if we truly want peace in our land, then we've got to walk another path - the path to finding peace within ourselves, within our own borders, within our own people. Wisdom may be telling us that to get peace, we've firstly got to stop this warring madness and inane rivalry within our own country. Sadly, I see equal hatred, animosity and disrespect on both sides of our political and religious arenas. So long as there is disdain, there will always be disunity. So long as there is party and denominational arrogance, there will always be feuding and enmity.

As Christians, we are meant to take the higher ground. According to Paul's letter to the Galatians, there is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for we are all one in Jesus. I think that if we were to rewrite it in today's language, he would be saying, in Christ's Church, there is no Democrat or Republican, no left or right wing, no conservative or liberal. We're supposed to be apolitical, just, and highly moral, but tragically, when it comes to nationalism, we're highly political, judgmental, and sometimes amoral.

The ways of wisdom are pleasant, and all her paths are peace. If we want peace in our land, and subsequently throughout the world, we've got to stop making war...with ourselves.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are the Prince of Peace, whereas we are the perpetrators of war. You sacrificed Yourself to reconcile us to God, whereas we won't lay down our divisive politics or denominational squabbles to reconcile our people. Forgive our personal, political, religious and national sins which have no place in Your kingdom. Grant us the ability to see beyond the walls of our staunch opinions, blighted politics and religious fanaticism, so that we can rediscover Your peace within ourselves, and thus offer that peace to the rest of the world. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.