Peace

Paul, in closing his letter to the Corinthians, tells them to, “Live in peace.” What does he mean by this? What do you think about when you hear that call? I would wager that we have a different understanding of peace than the Corinthians had and probably Paul. We often think of peace as the absence of war. Although it might be simply to have peace and quiet at home where the children are not fighting, the neighbors have not parked in your spot on the street, the raccoons have not spread your garbage all over the street, and the ruffians’ mini bike from down the street is broken keeping them from driving through your backyard. Although all those things might be nice if they happened, it is not the peace that Paul is talking about. 

Remember Paul is writing to Christians who live in a troubled and violent world which they have absolutely no control over. It was also a world that persecuted them for their religious beliefs. So what could Paul possibly mean? In part it is the reason that he wrote several letters to them. They seemed to be fighting with each other over how to be a Christian and even who was the best Christian. They may have been arguing over who should be in charge. If they were constantly fighting and arguing over worldly standards, Paul argues, they were not living in peace. They were not showing how, by becoming a follower of Jesus, they had been changed by God. But that, in our standards, is not what we think of as peace. The getting along part and showing God’s love is. But the world is a messy place and we are constantly being bombarded by things that seem to threaten our carefully constructed world. A world which we put together to shield us from those things that are uncomfortable and troubling. 

While we think living in peace means to live an orderly, simple, and trouble-free life, we know that that desire is a fairy tale. Recently I have been rereading an old book that discusses Luther’s understanding of prayer. In it the author, talking about Luther’s understanding of prayer, reminds us that prayer brings tension and struggle into our lives. By praying we struggle with the tension between God’s desire for the world and the selfishness and greed that fills it. Prayer also brings us to the attention of the devil who works against God’s desire. If prayer does not bring to us what we understand as peace, then what did Paul mean calling us to live in it?

Paul is talking about the peace that comes from knowing God. It is not some magical potion that makes everything better. You know that cannot be true. The peace that Paul is talking about is knowing that your whole life is surrounded by God – your triumphs and disappointments, your sadness and your joy – that whatever the world may bring and however life may turn out you are God’s. Redeemed by the precious blood of Jesus you have been gifted by God and given the peace that the world cannot give. God has called you into new life with Christ. Each and every day as you start your tasks begin with a prayer thanking God for all that God has given you and asking for the peace and joy that will strengthen you so that you may carry out all that you need to do.