Finding Real Peace in a Scary World
There is so much good in the world, but when something bad happens to me or someone I love, or whenever I watch or read the news, the world seems pretty scary. It seems like all we ever hear about is bad news, and I don't know about you, but all that bad news can really wear me down!
But here's what I've discovered: as bad as the world may seem sometimes, I don't think it's worse now than it used to be. I think our modern world is so connected that we can hear about bad news on the other side of the globe as soon as it happens, and we can be overwhelmed with the news of all the bad and scary things happening both near and far.
In this overwhelming cycle of frightening headlines and anxious thoughts, we need to remember something incredible: in a world filled with bad news and scary situations, we celebrate Jesus being born into a dark and scary world every year at Christmas. And the message the angels brought wasn't just seasonal cheer, it was life-changing good news that still transforms our scary world today.
The Prince of Peace is Born for You
When we look at the Christmas story in Luke 2:1-14, something remarkable jumps out about who received this earth-shattering announcement first. Who are the first people to hear about the birth of Jesus from the angel armies of heaven? Shepherds! And this is an important detail.
We romanticize shepherds today because they are portrayed so positively in the Bible. We think of David, Israel's greatest king who started as a shepherd, or Jesus calling himself "the good shepherd." But the reality of being a shepherd wasn't exactly glamorous. You have to spend all your time around those stinky sheep, who aren't very smart, who are always wandering off into trouble.
The truth is, these shepherds were the last people you would expect to be the first ones to hear about the birth of this new king, Jesus. You would expect that good news to be announced to the rich and famous, to the powerful and influential, not to these shepherds with their dirty jobs and their less-than-stellar reputations.
The good news of Jesus came to them first because they were some of the people who needed to hear it most. They needed to hear that God had come down to earth, not only for the people who were important in the eyes of the world, but especially for the people who were worn down, overlooked, despised, and rejected.
This means no matter who you are or where you come from, no matter if you think a lot of yourself or if you think you don't matter at all, Jesus has been born for you, too!
Understanding God's Kind of Peace
The angel announced that this baby would be the "Prince of Peace" promised in Isaiah 9:6. But what kind of peace was God promising? We typically think of peace as just the absence of conflict or arguing, but the way the Bible talks about peace is a lot bigger than that.
The Hebrew word "shalom" means much more than calm. Shalom is a kind of peace that's a lot more than just the absence of war or conflict. It could be translated as 'wholeness' or 'completeness' or even 'perfection'. Shalom is not just the absence of conflict but the presence of life the way God wants it to be.
Isaiah 2:1-4 gives us a vision of this shalom where “they will beat their swords into iron plows and their spears into pruning tools. Nation will not take up sword against nation; they will no longer learn how to make war." In God's kingdom, people won't have to learn war anymore! Part of God's shalom is that everyone will have enough because everyone will share what they have, so everyone will be able to live in peace.
You Don't Have to Be Afraid
Even in our scary world, Jesus gives us this promise from John 16:33: "I've said these things to you so that you will have peace in me. In the world you have distress. But be encouraged! I have conquered the world."
Even when the world is scary, we don't have to be afraid, because Jesus has conquered every bad thing the world can throw at us. But how do we experience this peace when we're still feeling anxious?
Paul gives us practical steps in Philippians 4:6-7: "Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God's peace, which exceeds anything we can understand."
When we worry, it's usually because we're trying to solve our own problems without actually doing anything to solve them. But we can give all those worries to God. Now, why would God want to take all of the worries that are rattling around in our head? Because God loves us that much, that's why!
Bringing Peace Wherever You Go
God's peace isn't something we have to keep to ourselves. God wants us to share it with a world that desperately needs it! As Jesus said in John 14:27, "I am leaving you with a gift — peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give."
Jesus calls us to be peacemakers: God blesses those who work for peace, for they will be called the children of God (Matthew 5:9). God's peace is a gift…but it also takes work. It's hard work to repair what's been broken and to restore what's been destroyed.
Putting It Into Practice
So how do we live this out practically? Think about your school. Think about your work. Think about the places you go every day. Think about your family and your friends. What's broken? What's damaged? What needs to be healed and repaired? And how is God calling you, even in small ways, to be a person who courageously brings the shalom of heaven into those scary places?
Start by praying about everything instead of worrying. Tell God what you need and thank him for what he's done. Then look for opportunities to bring healing, wholeness, and peace into the broken places around you. In a world full of bad news, you can be good news wherever you go.
Reflection
Who receives the good news first? The shepherds: people who were worn down, overlooked, and had less-than-stellar reputations. What does this tell you about who Jesus came for? How does this encourage you personally?
What's broken in your world? Think about your school, work, family, and friendships. What needs to be healed and repaired? Where do you see the need for God's shalom (wholeness and completeness) most clearly?
Where are you trying to create your own peace? Jesus says the peace he gives "is a gift the world cannot give." Are there areas where you're working hard to make your own peace instead of receiving it as a gift from him?
How is God calling you to be a peacemaker? Jesus said, "God blesses those who work for peace, for they will be called the children of God." What small ways can you courageously bring the shalom of heaven into the scary places around you?
Application
This week, practice Paul's advice from Philippians 4:6-7: "Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done."
Choose one specific area of worry or fear in your life and:
Tell God what you need help with
Thank God for what he has already done
Ask him to guard your heart and mind with his peace
Then, identify one "broken" situation in your daily life where you can work for peace. It might be a damaged relationship, a conflict at work or school, or simply bringing calm to a chaotic environment. Take one small, concrete step this week to bring God's shalom to that situation.
Prayer
Gracious God, thank you that the Prince of Peace was born for me, not just for the important people of the world, but for someone like me who needs to hear this good news. When the world feels scary and overwhelming, help me remember that Jesus has conquered every bad thing and I don't have to be afraid. Show me the broken places in my world where you're calling me to work for peace. Give me courage to be a peacemaker who brings your shalom into the scary places around me. Help me to see your kingdom breaking through in a million small ways and to be part of that beautiful work. In Jesus' name, Amen.
