Peace

James 3:17-18New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without a trace of partiality or hypocrisy. And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace for those who make peace.

Martin Luther famously was said not to be a big fan of the Epistle of James. If it were up to him, according to some scholars, it wouldn't have been been included in New Testament canon. 

Rightly or wrongly, since then, James has gotten some bad press in Lutheran circles with it's heavy emphasis on law.  We're gospel people after all!

And yet, James has always drawn me in. Here from him is as succinct an explanation of peace as there is.

James, regardless of whether you consider him law-driven rather than gospel-driven, knows how to draw a fine point. 

He knows how to describe truth.

He knows how to describe how things appear and how they are. 

True wisdom begets peace, not war.

It begets gentleness, not anger.

It begets mercy, not vengeance.

And don't you know when you are in the midst of true peace? Can't you sense God then in a way you can't when you are angry, ticked off, vengeful, hypocritical or scornful?

You don't need the law to tell you when true peace reigns.  God's given us the means to sense it.

Of course, sometimes we still fight against it, because honestly sometimes we like getting our own way.

Even if our way is a complete disaster for us!

Peace may not always beget peace - just ask Gandhi and MLK.

Just ask Jesus.

Yet righteousness reigns when peace reigns.

And we know it. Even when we can't seem to live it.

Lord, make us instruments of your peace. Amen.