Phyllis Beveridge Nissila

I was reading some responses to a blogger who asked her readers who they looked up to as “peace makers”. The blog also features several previous posts concerning the heavy emotional fallout from the results of our recent elections here in the United States, and people naturally referenced this. One commenter in particular inspired me and shared sentiments akin to my own beliefs. I share an excerpt, here. I hope it encourages you, too, reader, in these “best of times and worst of times” in which we are all trying to make “better” of times.  I think those who may be exploiting the strife will soon lose their strength as, inevitably, though it may take time and toll, good will outweigh evil.

Be encouraged today:

As for a single (peace maker), the commenter writes, I have to say Jesus, Whom I believe to be the Christ. Gandhi is second on my list.

Sadly, both were murdered by their enemies, (Gandhi) because his peaceful methods of protest were breaking the power structures of his time and place–which always reminds me of the Proverb “soft answers break bones” (25:15). Jesus, for a completely different reason.

Though Jesus many times “disappeared from the midst” of his enemies who wanted to kill Him there and then, He ultimately submitted to his murderers (and then forgave them because they didn’t know, at the time, what they were doing; Who He really was…) and He was killed because, so I believe, He chose to be the “sacrificial lamb” for individual and corporate war-mongers of every time, tribe, and tongue, so that we can be reconciled with God, overcome personal and external strife, and achieve that harmony of mind, body, soul, and spirit within which we were designed to flourish.

I hope all of you flourish today!

I second that.