Could we be more divided? Was there ever a time when we need more help with the “R” of inSPIRE® – Relationships, as we long for peace?
I’m struggling with the polar politics that consume the news today and their effects on us. Viewers like me, who are concerned about important things, are often manipulated by political and media influences, toward increased feelings of hostility, offence, and angst.
Finding Help
I am looking for help with that. So, I scroll back to the two people groups who were even more divided than we are today – the early Jew and Gentile believers. As I read through the Book of Ephesians, I land on Ephesians 2:14 (NIV), and I feel a spark of hope.
I am so thankful that we don’t have to depend on government leaders to bring peace.
Two Kinds of Peace
The Jews and Gentiles who initially received the letter of Ephesians, were very familiar with the Roman slogan Pax Romana (Roman peace), but knew it was enforced by the emperor with violence and brutality. In complete contrast, Jesus offered the shalom of the Old Testament, peace and wholeness, as he healed the sick and broken, and sacrificed himself for our benefit.
Which peace would you choose?
The Better Choice
I think we’d all choose the peace of Jesus over peace enforced by a Roman sword. If so, read on with me in Ephesians 2, to learn what that means for us. I take it to say that whether we are Jew or Gentile, red or blue, young or old, as believers we are members of one household, one family.1 We seek the best for one another.
Now raise that another notch. The next verses describe our relationships with one another as actively rising to become a sacred temple, where God’s Spirit lives.2 We are intended to move from hostility to caring family, to sacred community! We’re not all the same, and we don’t have to agree on everything. But we can look to Jesus, our chief cornerstone, and we can focus on growing closer together in Christ.3
Can you imagine if the walls of a building began to separate? It wouldn’t be a building for very long. The principle is the same for Christian community. We need to foster harmony and reconciliation, rather than hatred and polarization. Standing firm together as that temple, that SPIRE, that points the way to peace, should be more important to us than winning a war of words on a media post.
What Peace is Not
In case you are worried, I am not talking about pluralism, where peace equates to accepting all beliefs as valid and having equal merit. Rather, I am suggesting that we put our energy into fostering a peace amongst our differences, that we can attribute to Christ and his work on the cross.
Practical Peace
The inSPIRE® journey is one of shalom, wholeness. In our recent ministry board meetings, we considered political polarization and asked ourselves how we enter the crisis to diminish hostility and increase shalom. We confessed our lack of prayer for government and religious leaders (of all stripes) and committed to increased prayer. We expect not only our leaders to change as we pray, but our own selves. It is one practical step towards fostering peace. Another practical step is to take up the challenge to explore relational wholeness through the inSPIRE® journey. Not only do we consider relationships specifically, in our resources and retreats, but the other components of the SPIRE that weave their way through our relationships as well.
Passing on the Baton
As I finish here, I imagine ancient Jew and Gentile believers passing on the baton, as we do our part to break down hostilities through Christ who is our peace. I imagine them up on their feet, in the heavenly stands, cheering us on!
Join the Conversation
1 – What are you doing to foster peace?
2 – What is your take-away for our culture of polarized politics, from the Jew and Gentile believers of the first century (Ephesians 2:14-22)?
7 Responses
Singer-songwriter Paul Demer sings a version of Psalm 146 that is right on theme!
I choose to obey the Word as it is written in 1 Timothy 2: 1-3.
Thanks for those verses, and for your example, Sherrie! I know I want to be more committed to this.
I’m committed to pray for our leaders regularly, also remembering 2. Chronicles 7: 14 .
Ephesians 3: 19 – 22 is a great encouragement to me. God will break down the wall of hostility when we live as members of God’s household. (Verse 19)
These verses calling us to humility, prayer and love are quite the big contrast to much of what we see in media. Thanks for challenging us with them Verena! We need encouragement to “swim upstream” in these ways.
I will commit to praying for political leaders of the full political spectrum to exude God’s grace, wisdom, and love. I won’t avoid sensitive conversation topics, as I think that can exacerbate polarization, but I will actively seek to find peace and love amongst differences of view in conversations.
Great post Donna!
Thanks, Jacob. Approaching sensitive topics with prayer, grace, wisdom, and love sure seems to be our calling as Jesus-followers! We’ll find out in the next portion of Ephesians 3 that true strength is rooted in love.