For a house church gathering this year we gathered a group of friends together to delve into the true meanings of words that have become rather trite Christmas slogans: peace, hope, love, and joy. These are my reflections. I am going to post a word every day or so for a week.

Peace (pEs)
noun: a state of tranquillity or quiet; freedom from civil disturbance; a state of security or order within a community provided for by law or custom Christmas eve, 1914, thousands of soldiers from both German and British armies came out of their trenches to sing Christmas carols, share cigars and cake, and to celebrate the evening. But as soon as the sun rose the next morning the fighting continued and the war continued on killing a total of over eight million people by the end. In many ways the peace these soldiers experienced in 1914 is very similar to what we think of when we think of peace. In the news we hear of peace treaties, and when we have a bad day we long for peace and quiet. So normally when someone speaks of peace they are referring to an absence of fighting or an absence of chaos. Though this definition is a good place to start especially during Christmas, a season fraught with chaotic family gatherings and mall parking lot traffic, it is not enough. If we rely on this definition of peace we may go for a time and be perfectly alright but this type of peace, like the soldiers who enjoyed a one night truce, is not going to solve the major issue. The Hebrew word for peace shalom goes beyond conventional peace, freely translated it means: fullness; having everything you need to be wholly and happily yourself. Feel free to leave a comment on how this peace is really lived out, and how can it be found in the life of Jesus, or in our own. Merry Christmas everyone!