Circuit Thoughts

I like to use devotionals in the morning during my prayer time. It helps to have another perspective on scripture and prayer. This morning, I was reading a devotional on Reflecting Christ’s Character, from “Our Daily Bread”. The scripture was from Romans 12:9-18. The key verse that struck me in this reading was the 18th verse. “If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, (emphasis mine) live at peace with everyone”.

It seems lately, everyone has found a reason to be outraged. If we aren’t mad about the economy, it’s politics. If it isn’t politics, then it’s sports. If it isn’t sports, then it’s some stupid play act in a foreign country. We seem to be too busy letting things we have little to no control over, control us. I mean, all this self-righteous indignation about things far away seems to consume and conquer. Yet Paul tells us to do the opposite.

As far as depends on you, live in peace. I think this implies that we have a bit more control than we think in responding to the everyday “outrages” of life. As followers of Christ, one of our main tasks is to live in peace. Granted, when the world seems set on being evil and obnoxious, peace is hard to come by, but still, we must try.

For it is in peace that people will see Christ in us. Look, God does not shout. He is not in the practice of overwhelming the world with noise. For many of us, God speaks in our hearts and spirits. He uses whispers and quiet. He is the “still small voice”. This means that to hear Him, we must be at peace.

If we disagree, we need to learn from that, not make war. If we see something wrong and are angry over it, we need to use that energy of anger to change, not do harm. At all times, we need to show the love that Christ continues to show us.

So many people get their bible lessons by observing church going people. For most non-believers, it is confirmation of hypocrisy in the church establishment. If that is the lesson we are giving the world, then mores the pity.

John Wesly laid down three simple rules for the converts to Methodism. 1: Do no harm, 2: Do Good, 3: Attend to the ordinances of God. His thought was that by doing this, we can live in peace and be living testaments to those around us.

Peace is a hard thing. In a world that revels in chaos and anarchy, peace can be a rare commodity. But still, we are called to live at peace with everyone. Now that peace must come from our side, (so far as it depends on you) not everyone will want peace. Still, we must offer, over and over again.

Things are going to get a lot noisier and lot more contentious, but we are called to be at peace in Christ.

Just a thought.

Shalom my friends. See you in church.