The Seeds of Peace

And those who are peacemakers will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of goodness.

(James 3:18 – NLT)

In the context of life and its daily stresses, we tend to lose peace. We start off our week just fine but then our peace seems to be siphoned off. In most of those situations, we can find ourselves becoming overwhelmed by the temporal aspect and sin and death begin to have their way with us (Romans 8:6). We cry foul and believe someone or something has “stolen our peace”. Suddenly our tanks have become full of the acid of irritability.

Well, you can’t expect that nothing will ever come along and cause disruption or distress. Peace isn’t a magic wand that makes the world go away. Peace is something we need to be armed with before we enter into the conflicts within the context of life. We need to start each week, and each day, with a “fight for peace”. Before, during, and after each day we need to pray for peace (Matthew 14:23). Peace is not the lack of conflict it is in the face of conflict. You can’t be lax about it; it truly is a war for peace these days.

“But I have no time, that is the problem!” you protest. Yes you do. Not to sound rude, but if you use the bathroom each day, then you have an opportunity to pray alone each day. God sees you when you are in there anyway, might as well pray while you are there; if you are as busy as you say you are then it may be the only chance you get alone that day. Of course you can pray while you are in the midst of the battle anyway, you don’t have to close you eyes or move your mouth to pray.

“You don’t understand what I am going through!” you protest again. No I don’t, but God does. The key is, “What does God say about your situation?” He says that by keeping our minds renewed and sustained by Him we are fostering a continual peace (Isaiah 26:3). The way to see God move in your situation is to foster peace with others (Matthew 5:9 / James 3:18). We need to be sowing seeds of peace throughout our day.

“That won’t help me now!” you protest once again. Okay, so today might not be so great, but use today to learn a secret of peace. The secret is this: be proactive with peace, spread it out today so that it can come back to you tomorrow. Do you see it? The way to get peace for yourself is to give it away to others beforehand. Why do you think the Apostles were always saying “grace and peace to you?” They had to deal with stresses you and I will never have to deal with. They knew that they had to keep planting peace in their war for the gospel.

“You’re saying it’s my fault!” I am not saying if you have no peace it is your fault, what I am saying is that if you need more, plant more. The seeds of peace are your ammunition in the war for peace. Sow everywhere, to everyone, even and perhaps especially sow where you think it won’t grow, you will be surprised at what God will do for you. Don’t just sow to friends; sow peace among enemies, or right where the battle rages hottest. Find new fields for peace and you will reap a peaceful new harvest.

Grace and peace to you.