Finally, brothers and sisters, rejoice! Strive for full restoration, encourage one another, be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you. – 2 Corinthians 13:11
I have been raised in the church my whole life and have always been grateful for the gift of God’s grace, found in Jesus Christ. Living in that grace has inspired me to strive to live in the world as a peacemaker. What better way could I learn than from following the example of Christ?
I’m the middle child in a family of three children and, for the most part, we got along pretty well. I smile as I remember a saying of my Dad’s that he would use sometimes when we were downright mad at each other. He’d say, “Just remember, you can get glad in the same pants you got mad in.” Now, he didn’t expect us to agree all of the time, but he did expect us to work things out. He wanted us to take the time to talk through our differences with patience, respect and love. Oftentimes that was hard, and we could be quite stubborn! I remember thinking, “We’re kids… this must be much easier for grown-ups!” We had to mature into our willingness and ability to see things differently, through the eyes of another. That almost always meant compromise. I’m so grateful to my Dad for this rich lesson because that foundation has helped me throughout my adult life, and I’ve discovered that it’s really not easier for “grown-ups!” The path to being a peacemaker is a lifelong pursuit.
The truth is that there will be many things and people in our lives that will offend us. We must remember that we have the power to choose how we react during those difficult times. During this season of Lent, I will do my best to look at others as Jesus would see them. With all of the problems in our world today, it is oftentimes hard to see things through the eyes of another. We see many people who are not willing to sit down and talk through their differences with patience, respect and love. It is hard, and they are stubborn. But if we look at others through the eyes of Jesus, we will see that He can bring peace in the presence of unresolved problems and increasing chaos and strife. Jesus gave his life for all of us. His ultimate sacrifice was not easy, but His peace is everlasting and is a precious gift from God.
I hope you will join me in letting go of anger and resentment and offering peace and words of healing in their place. Maybe we can all bring a smile to someone’s face by initiating forgiveness and showing love. You really can get glad in the same pants you got mad in. My Daddy was right!
Marsha Long, Director of Hospitality Ministry
