Prevalence of Peace

Prevalence of Peace

  I often write and refer back to the fact that we are supposed to be peaceful with one another; and often I remind us that peace is what God wants for us. However, what is meant by “peace on earth”? What is peace? If I do not speak to you, if I ignore or avoid you...in the name of peace...is it actually peace? If we elude, evade, or dodge people are we giving them peace?

  Let’s us look at it this way...if I ignore you...do you feel warm? This can not become a matter of “If you can’t say something nice than say nothing at all”. What have I given you to pass on to another person...silence? In the quiet, are you reflecting? In the avoidance, are you contemplating how to show your love to another person...or managing a wartime strategy? Peace is not quiet time. Peace is not obtained through a spiritually motivating conversation...unspoken. Peace does not exist when there are guns going off...on the battlefield or in our minds. Peace is destroyed when we are developing ways to divide and conquer for our own personal or professional gain. Peace can not be developed when we are allowing people to dictate who we should love and support. Peace does not exist when we allow violence to touch the hearts and minds of our children.

  When we allow the growth of drugs, gangs, and domestic bloodshed within our neighborhoods...how can peace prosper? How can we expect our children to thrive in conditions that are indicative of hate? Yet, we send our children walking through these neighborhoods to school...which is similar to sending them marching through a mine field. How can we lead other countries into peace...if our own backyards are combat zones? Don’t our children deserve peace of mind? We typically want the very best life has to offer, for our children. Yet we turn a blind eye to the harsh conditions that they are met with...simply by walking to a friends house.

  How do our children learn about peace...if no one even taught us about it? Is peace...quiet? Absolutely not; peace is loud, boisterous, receiving, participatory, and Godly. I will yell...scream...stomp and point at any and all injustices. Until we make changes in our world...there can be no peace. Peace is not nodding and smiling. Peace is not stifling oppression. Peace means change.

  Peace is only obtained through understanding and love. We can stop war...but if we still have hate and indifference in our hearts then peace can not survive. Please understand that indifference is worse than hate...because it implies that we have no concern one way or another, for another human being.  Reflect on that statement for one moment...it means we do not care about a being that was created by God. Is that what we have become? Peace is obtained through consideration of others, kindness and compassion toward our fellow man/woman. We must learn the ways of our Creator, by becoming accepting, kind and considerate of our brothers and sisters under Heaven.

  Peace is not silence. Peace happens when we learn how to live in harmony...when we start caring about other people as much as we do ourselves. Peace is the practice of out stretching our arms to those in need. When we become God’s life raft...and put ourselves second to the needs of others...only then can the quest for peace begin. Remember that if we only show love and concern for ourselves...one day we will look around and see that we are all that is left.

  We should look around at the world we live in...God has populated it with beings that are intended to help uplift us and others. Our true path is found when we start doing God’s work...by nurturing other beings.

  Peace can not be obtained by waiting for lightning to strike in an unusual place. Peace is what we strive for...it makes us better people. It changes those around us. It stops wars and builds bridges. It does not cause separation due to some boundary or limit that man has selfishly created himself. It is the understanding that without it...we have no hope of survival.

  I pray that each of you finds a way to make peace with everyone you touch. May this circle of hope...go unbroken and stand the test of time...because time is running out.