What I mean by that is Christianity is a religion that tells us (its followers) to love everyone...not just people you like or agree with. Everyone includes thieves, bullies, drug addicts, diseased, elderly, Democrats, Republicans, men, women, gays, straights, transsexuals, Trump, Hillary, etc. It even means caring for Chicago Blackhawks fans. How does love translate to peace?
If you're lacking peace in your life, it's safe to ask the question who am I not loving (expressing charity for)? There is nothing in this world that can cause you to lose peace without your consent. Don't believe me? Look at the death of our Savior and the apostles. They did not fear even though they suffered painful deaths. Every painful experience these people would view it as an opportunity to share in Christ's sufferings. Not only the physical sufferings, but the emotional sufferings as well. Times like when Christ was betrayed by one of his best friends (Luke 22), when all of his apostles abandoned him in his darkest hour (Matthew 26:56), or when an entire crowd got up and walked away while he was preaching (John 6:66).
Peace isn't about changing the things around us to make our lives easier...it's about changing our hearts so that we can love unconditionally. That means when faced with someone you don't like, you can make decisions with that person's best interest at heart. If for no other reason, because God loves that person and you love God. There will always be unrest in this world, but peace comes from within your heart.
No comments:
Post a Comment