"These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world." John 16:33
In the previous sentence Jesus talks about how his disciples are about to abandon him and then here he tells them to have peace. I don't know about you,, but I'm pretty sure if I knew my closest friends were about to betray and abandon me wishing them peace would not be high on my list of priorities. Yet here is Jesus wishing them peace. Then Jesus goes on to tell them that this world is full of tribulations but that they can be joyous because Jesus has overcome the world.
There are so many ways that Jesus has overcome the world, but for this moment I want to talk about only one way it is true, and it has everything to do with his ability to wish his friends/betrayers peace.
It is very natural to not wish them peace, our world carries tribulations and among those tribulations is our inane attachment to anger and vengeance. We react in anger to anger. We react toward violence with violence. We shun those who have shunned us. We hate those who have hurt us. We do this because we are, after all, merely human. Jesus on the other hand calls us to be a little more than human. Jesus calls us to attach the divine to our humanity, to allow access of our hearts and minds and souls to the very one who crafted our hearts and minds and souls.
Jesus calls us to salvation. At base salvation is a redirecting of our being from an inward thrust to an outward thrust. Salvation is changing our eyesight and changing our heart-sight. With this new sight we can look at those who act in anger or vengeance and see them as God sees them, and we can look at those who shun and hurt and see them as God sees them. It does not take away their actions or the repercussions of those actions, but it bends how we see them. If we let God begin to remold us we will no longer react as we are acted upon, beginning reconciliation at the point of destruction.
It is not easy to care for those who hurt us. It is not easy to show grace to those who show violence. It is not easy to accept those who have shunned us. It is not easy, nor will it be popular. Those who show grace are often referred to as cowards. Those who choose peace over violence are often called weak. Those who turn the other cheek are criticized. But, we can once again react in caring, graceful ways to this group of people as well, repopulating the world with more love instead of more hate.
+ How have you reacted with love and grace in the face of anger/violence/pain/being shunned?
+ How has God worked on your heart, mind, soul since you began to follow Jesus?
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