I assume that you are well
aware of the fact that this is not a peaceful world. It has not been for a long time nor does it
look like it will be anytime soon. Here
are a couple of reminders of why I say this.
August of 2014, 18 year-old Michael Brown died during an encounter with
police officer Darren Wilson. In the
following days, months and years, riots erupted that tore Ferguson, MO and
other communities apart. Almost 6 years
later, May of 2020, George Floyd dies under the knee of police officer Derek
Chauvin. Minneapolis erupted along with
other cities in all 50 states and across the world. In total, over $1 billion dollars in
insurance losses occurred. A few months
later, August of 2020, Jacob Blake refused to listen to police commands to drop
a knife. He was shot seven times. Kenosha citizens rioted for several nights
burning down a police precinct, 100 cars on a car lot, a gas station, and
more. The violence also left two men dead
and another wounded from an encounter with a young vigilante. We did not learn much from this and after the
2020 presidential election, between 2,000 to 2,500 people stormed the capital
building hoping to force congress to overturn the election results. We are not a peaceful people; it does not
seem like our leaders are trying to lead us toward the goal of peace.
The prophets of Israel
including Micah proclaimed a king would come.
He would be the Son of the Most High in the line of David and he would
bring to an end war and strife. He would
cause people to “beat their swords into plowshares, their spears into pruning
hooks.” Micah envisioned a king who
would shepherd God’s people, feed them, make them secure, and bring them to
ultimate peace. And because of this,
“nation would no longer be at war with nation, neither would they learn war
anymore.” Instead, the kingdom of the
Son of the Most High would come and “of his kingdom there will be no end.” Jesus as the embodiment of this started the
journey for humanity to eventually experience the ultimate peace of God. He also instructed his disciples to be
peacemakers. Each generation of disciples
since has been tasked with carrying through on this vision of peace.
We all know that we cannot
rely on world leaders or systems to deliver peace. These systems are fueled more by conflict;
they profit off chaos and turmoil. We
also know that we, the community of faith, wait for the second Advent of God’s
son. In between, we are called by God to
follow Jesus’ example in our words and deeds.
We are to be peacemakers. To do
this, it means that we will have to “beat our swords into plowshares, our
spears into pruning hooks.” Anything
that we write, type, or say that adds to strife and chaos needs to be
re-fashioned for peace. We need to begin
small and look at how we interact with our family, neighbors, and
community. We need to continue Jesus’
vision of each of us being peacemakers in our words and deeds.
I invite you to take time
and read each of the scriptures above followed by reflection on the questions
below. Assess what it means for you to “beat your sword into a plowshare,
your spear into a pruning hook.” Lastly, I pray that God bless the reading of God’s
Word and the meditations of your heart.