In this Advent season of peace, let’s be the ones to light the way, let’s stand with people and cultivate as much common ground as we can. It’s easy to focus on our differences, it can be darkly energizing to polarize our positions – but that will be our downfall.
What can the lights of peace look like in our world? Does peace mean the absence of violence? If so, can there ever be peace on earth? But what if we can choose a Christmas peace that illuminates and unites amidst the dark turbulence in our homes, our hearts, our nation?
What if being at peace was less about naively ignoring what is destructive around us, and instead, staring it straight in the face, trusting instead of despairing that even now the Jesus of Christmas is working for peace to prevail among us?
As we walk through the gospel of Jesus Christ according to Mark in the New Testament, we read a fascinating story where Jesus is misunderstood by his own family– his actions of peacemaking are interpreted as causing dark demonic chaos. Just when you think you’ve struggled with being misunderstood!
In this story Jesus has once again entered a home with his disciples to share a meal together with the host. When the crowds realized he is in town, they swarm the home such that no one could dine. Jesus adjusts, stands, and turns the chaotic moment into a teachable one about the way God works in the world.
But Jesus’ family, and the teachers of the law from Jerusalem believe that Jesus must be filled with a divisive, impure spirit, maybe even a demon – possibly Satan himself! How else to account for the chaos Jesus causes when he comes into town? It’s interesting isn’t it, tragic even, how we can choose to interpret stuff.
If Jesus is really filled by an impure spirit, what advantage would he gain by casting other impure spirits into the abyss? Jesus calls the misunderstanders in close and then uses logic to dismantle their slanderous accusations. He teaches, “If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand. And if Satan opposes himself and is divided, he cannot stand; his end has come. In fact, no one can enter a strong man’s house without first tying him up. Then he can plunder the strong man’s house.”
Christmas reminds us of Jesus coming to tie up the evil one who was dividing and plundering the people of Israel. The season of Advent reminds us that Jesus will come again to finish what he started with the evil one in the world: Satan’s end will come.
So don’t give up on peacemaking. Despair divides.
Christmas teaches us that peacemaking is difficult, it means standing up to evil, not running away from it, it means forging unity among those who misunderstand, and it means patiently explaining yourself and proving yourself through your actions.
To make peace we will need to forgive all those who sin against us and every slander they’ve ever uttered, like Christ will do for us when he returns. Bitterness divides.
When Jesus comes again, there will be those who will see the just and merciful peacemaking work he’s done and accuse him of chaos-making, of causing dark evil, to be in league with the devil. There is nothing Jesus can do for them – if they see the Holy Spirit in him and call it demonic, they don’t want Jesus’ terms of peace. Yet….
Jesus mother, brothers and sisters eventually came to recognize him as the Lord of Israel and the whole world. It took awhile though for them to see the light and join God’s will to make peace. Reconciliation takes patience, persevering kindness, healing honesty, and sacrificial grace.
So if you’re feeling misunderstood, if it seems like chaos is creeping in on your life, if this season of your life isn’t turning out how you thought, don’t give up on being a peacemaker. Keep cultivating more common ground!
Stand by the power of Christmas: that same spirit of Jesus comes still to light our way and unite us, so don’t give up on him, others, or yourself.