Peace: Is it a goal or a by-product?

Have you ever wondered, "Should peace be an objective or a by-product?" When perusing Christian book titles, the consensus seems to be that it is the goal toward which Christians rightfully strive. More than a few titles suggest steps, systems and sermon series to the holy grail of peace. Most books are printed in the United States or other nations with highly-developed economies. I wonder if publishers enjoy booming sales because, in addition to economic factors in their homelands, the culture embraces peace as an entitlement, something one deserves.

"Well," one might challenge, "Doesn’t the Bible teach that the fruit of the Spirit is ‘love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self–control?’" (Galatians 5:22-23.) Yes, it does, but from what context is that statement lifted? The assurance of the fruit of the Spirit is centered between the acts of the sinful nature – really ugly, self-serving, egocentric stuff (Galatians 5:16-21) – and, the fact that the fruit is found in those who have "crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires" (Galatians 5:24). The paragraph continues with, "Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit." (Galatians 5:25) The context suggests that love, joy, peace and other fruit of the Spirit result when one discards the morally unacceptable, refuses to be self-centered, and obeys the Spirit fully.

Against this backdrop, this morning I scrambled around sorting through my messy closet of personal experiences and opinions. I turned to King David. The Israeli king may not be a typical poster boy for peace, but he is usually credited with writing, "He leadeth me beside the still waters," (Psalm 23:2 KJV) an often-quoted verse in contemporary steps-to-peace literature and teaching. How can a man write so eloquently of peace when his story includes wrestling with wild animals to protect his sheep, taking on Goliath when apparently outmatched, serving and then running from an unappreciative and paranoid sitting king, and leading armies in horrific battles? I wonder, "David, are you serious?"

Psalm four serves to illustrate a dimension of David’s experience. Verse one begins the song of worship with,
"Answer me when I call to you,
O my righteous God.
Give me relief from my distress;
Be merciful to me and hear my prayer."

The middle verses speak of cultural dysfunctions, simple messes like distortions, "turn glory into shame", delusions, "false gods", and disillusionment: "Who can show us any good?" This doesn’t point to peace to me! But, the concluding stanza, verse eight, brings the song to a faith-building crescendo,
"I will lie down and sleep in peace,
for you alone, O LORD,
Make me dwell in safety."
David’s song says, "Peace is present regardless of the challenge before us." Verses four and eight include bedtime assurances from a man who slept knowing that Saul was a few yards away breathing hatred and wishing David dead.

New Testament figures challenge me. Stephen was at peace while his breath was being pounded out of his body, by stones thrown by Jesus-hating zealots. When the Apostle Paul thought of shipwrecks, imprisonments, beatings, and other "inconveniences," he wrote, "I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us" (Romans 8:18). John saw heaven open and experienced the revelation of Jesus on Patmos, a penal colony. The common denominator among the saints in Scripture was that all were living in obedience and all were at peace!

The world is continuously in pursuit of peace. And, sadly, the Western Christian world suggests peace is a destination, a goal to be achieved, rather than an expected outcome of living obediently. My friend, Pastor Bob Neuman of Lansing Assembly of God (Lansing, IL), quotes John Newton, "I am still in the land of the dying; I shall be in the land of the living soon." I am thinking that peace comes as I "crucify the sinful nature with its passions and desires," a way of saying, "‘Yes, Lord,’ and ‘No, Otto!’" Love, joy, peace and other fruit of the Spirit all flow out of a "Yes Lord!" obedience.