There’s a quote that says “Be at peace with all men” from the book of Romans, which came to mind tonight as I started this entry.
Jesus was also quoted on the topic of peace, saying: “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.”
As I’ve gotten older, I’ve realized that being at peace – as well as being a peacemaker – isn’t an easy thing to manage. If you’re to be at peace with all men (and women) you’re very likely to have a tongue that’s nearly been severed from the number of times keeping the peace requires you to bite it, as I’ve learned firsthand.
The desire to find peace in today’s time isn’t a popular one, and I’m not referring to the warmongering spirit that possesses our politicians. Rather, I’m referring to a widespread cry for ‘justice’ that could be the tagline for today’s generation. What’s troubling about the ‘justice’ being called for is that it isn’t truly justice that many protest for; rather, it’s a rallying cry for revenge and counterattacks.
There’s another blog for another time on ‘justice syndrome’….
Peace.
I felt peace today. I didn’t just feel it; I breathed it, woke up with it and went to bed with it holding me the way a Father holds his Child at night in their hammock; cozy, protected and secure.
Admittedly, it has been hard for me to have peace in my heart for quite some time. Over the last decade, I rarely felt peace inasmuch as I felt numbed out; largely because I was chemically-sedated for most of my waking hours every day. I knew there was something better for me and that I wasn’t living to my highest potential while being high. Thus, there was an underlying sense of shame and fear that I lived with on a daily basis.
I wasn’t giving life my best, and I felt it…every single day.
There are a lot of things that rob you of your peace, which many people aren’t conscious of. How you speak to your children, for example, can rob you of your peace.
For people who yell at their children, a sense of peace is taken from their soul because somewhere inside, they know they aren’t giving their kids what they both want and need; a polite, kind and loving parent.
If I saw somebody slapping the lights out of their child for being a kid, I’d question how that person could sleep well at night. In similar fashion, I question how somebody could sleep well at night when they’ve yelled at their child[ren].
Not all slaps come from somebody’s hand – some come from the tongue, and they damage a child in an equal measure.
There are a lot of big things in life that can rob you of your peace. For example, I wouldn’t sleep nearly as well at night if I owned the home I was living in. Why? Because I’d worry during every windstorm that I’d need to do roofing repairs. During the Summer, I’d pray that my AC unit wouldn’t go out unexpectedly, socking me with a $10,000+ bill. When it stormed, I’d worry that my home would be flooded.
Sure, there’s insurance for these things…but insurance claims are yet another thing that can rob somebody of peace.
As a renter, I don’t have to worry when the storms, heat or hailstorms pound away. Why? Because I know that I’m covered by the homeowner; a man who loves this home as much as I do, and is proud to maintain it whenever something goes wrong.
Jesus told us not to worry about our lives any more than the birds of the air do about their days, reminding us that our Heavenly Father thinks far more of us than the birds.
How many people read that verse and think “That’s nice..” while neglecting to live a life that reflects the truth He spoke? That’s a great question.
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