When I think of the word “peace,” there are many images that come to mind: flowing streams, the cool breeze on my face, sitting on our patio listening to the birds chirping, the sounds of the fountain, and children laughing and playing on the playground at the school not too far from where we live. I think of holy moments shared with friends when our shared conversations center on the places and experiences where we have experienced God at work. I think of quiet moments when holding a newborn baby and the joy I see in his or her parent’s eyes.
Most often it is music that brings a sense of peace in my life. When the world around me feels chaotic, and I struggle with those things that make me anxious, I know there are several “go-to” songs that have the ability to center and bring me peace. One of those songs is Let There Be Peace on Earth.
This beautiful anthem was written in 1955, with the words written by Jill Jackson and the melody by her husband, Sy Miller. For me, knowing the history behind a song gives it a deeper meaning. The author, Jill, struggled with depression in her life. One day, the darkness seemed too much for her, and that led to her attempted suicide, which thankfully was not successful.
In an archival interview aired on David Freudberg’s National Public Radio program Humankind, Jill Jackson talked about her background and the context of the song: “When I attempted suicide (in 1944), and I didn’t succeed,” she said, “I knew for the first time unconditional love – which God is. You are totally loved, totally accepted, just the way you are. At that moment, I was not allowed to die, and something happened to me which is very difficult to explain. I had an eternal moment of truth, in which I knew I was loved, and I knew I was here for a purpose.”
This realization was followed by years of exploring her spiritual nature and her relationship with God. A decade later, she writes “that she and her husband went to a retreat in the mountains of California where they met a host of young people from various socioeconomic, religious, and ethnic backgrounds where the song was introduced.” Sy and Jill were pleased to see the young people lock arms and embrace the lyrics of the song.
The lyrics to the song bring me peace, as well as challenge my role to be one who lives as a “peace bearer” because in every situation, as the song proclaims, “peace” must begin with me. I often find that just humming the song brings me peace.
With every step I take
Let this be my solemn vow
To take each moment
And live each moment
In peace eternally
Let there be peace on earth
And let it begin with me.
Rev. Linda Harker, Online Campus Pastor
