Sow In Peace

James 3:17-18 But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness.

I am watching the goings on of the early morning at a beautiful resort. My office this morning is a lounge chair on the veranda of our condo. The sun is not fully up, but the light that it casts shows a world, at least from my vantage point that is at peace. 

As the light continues to grow with the rising sun, I notice last night was anything but peaceful. The sand on the beach shows evidence of a turbulent sea that cast waves far upon the shore. Anyone that was out on the water last night would have had a rough ride. And there were people out on the water was evidenced by the lights of the bait fishermen's boats I saw before retiring.  When we consider the James 3:17-18 passage we can see a basic element of faith and belief displayed. The root of this display is found in in the words of Jesus to the Sadducees and Pharisees in Matthew 22: 37-40 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” When we love God we place our trust in God. Our peace that surpasses all understanding flows not from a chair near a quiet seashore or any other source of self-induced nirvana. Rather, that peace is found only in a belief that the God who created us and the world we live in has a love for all that is boundless. He loves us when we are not loveable , even if that feeling is just in our own minds. We are also told by that same loving God our Father to love one another. To be at peace with one another is an element of that love. In simple terms, from my setting today, if I am causing turmoil by throwing waves up on the shore of another persons life, I am not showing that love. Friends of the risen Savior, may your days be filled with calm seas as you travel through your lives. Share the calm seas and the source of that calm with those you encounter.

PRAYER: Lord and Giver of Life, we live our lives in the shadow of Your protective peace. We bask in Your grace. We go about our lives with the firm belief that You love us even when we are not worthy of that love. We especially give thanks for not having to earn Your love. We rely upon Your saving grace each and every day of our lives. Simple words cannot express how deeply we need You and Your love. Your Son Jesus paid the price for our sin upon the cross. Without that ultimate act of love we would be lost. For the cross and Your unending love we give thanks to the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, one God now and forever, Amen.