Try a New Greeting

I have a challenge for you. Are you willing to try something new? I would like to encourage you to change the way you greet people and to use the word “shalom” or “peace” instead of the greetings you normally use. It can also be used as a farewell.

In our culture, the typical greetings are “Hi!” or “How are you doing? (for which we do not really expect an honest answer) or “What’s up?” or “Hey!” If we are in “polite company,” we might say “Good morning.” None of these greetings really say very much, so how about being creative.

The same is true with our typical farewells: “Take care,” “Don’t work too hard,” “Good-bye,” or “See you later.” I think we can do better than this.

Let me tell you why I think it is a good idea to greet friends, especially Christian friends, with the words “shalom” or “peace.” During the first century, church leaders often used the words “grace” and “peace” to summarize the heart of the gospel. It then became a standard practice in the early church to greet other Christians with these words and to bid them farewell in the same way.

For them the words were not a casual greeting, as many of our present-day greetings or farewells are, but were powerful reminders of the essence of the Christian faith. Every letter written by the Apostle Paul begins with a greeting that includes the words “grace” and “peace.” Paul’s standard greeting is: “Grace and peace to you from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 1:7). Most of Paul’s letters end in a similar fashion, usually with a benediction about God’s peace. In the letter to the Romans, for example, he writes: “The God of peace be with you all. Amen” (15:33).

The Apostle Peter follows the same pattern in his two letters, greeting his readers as follows: “Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord” (II Peter 1:2). Jude, the brother of James, uses a slightly different greeting: “Mercy, peace and love be yours in abundance” (v. 2). For the disciples empowered by the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, the “good news” of God’s grace and peace – their summary of Jesus’ message – was always on their lips.

I am not proposing that we use the full greetings of the Apostle Paul or the Apostle Peter, but how about a shorter version? Do you remember some of the early posts in this Blog where we talked about how shalom incorporates interpersonal relationships, good health, the well-being of society, and living a full life? It is a beautiful word, a rich word, that includes everything humanly speaking you could desire for a friend.

I try to make this a habit in my correspondence or when I meet people. I sometimes end my e-mails to friends with “Blessings!” because I want them to know I wish God’s richest blessings on them and their families. A few are starting to send this blessing back to me.

Some friends I know say “shalom – salaam,” using both the Hebrew and Arabic words for peace. I like this as well. Why not greet and say farewell to friends with words that have substance, words that encourage them? Why not use this greeting or farewell with new people you meet? They might even ask why you use these words – and you have a chance to share something about your beliefs.

Any of you willing to try it? Soon it may become a habit and you’ll be blessing people who come into your life.

So What?

• If you try this for several weeks, let me know about your experiences and any responses that you might get – either good or bad.
• I’ve talked about the “pluses” of greeting with the word “peace” or “shalom.” Are there “minuses” or issues arguing against this? What might they be? Do the “pluses” outweigh the “minuses” or not?

Overcoming the World

For many of us, just surviving is a big challenge. Our lives are full, our work days are long, and our free time is very limited.

So what do we do when, as followers of Jesus, we are commanded to “overcome the world”? Not only does the Bible tell us this, it gives us a radical strategy for making it happen: love. The Apostle John makes this case most powerfully.

Apostle St. John the Evangelist,
El Greco, c. 1612

John was a disciple of Jesus and one of his closest companions. Along with Peter and James, John developed a special friendship with Jesus that provided opportunities for him to know Jesus more intimately than the other disciples. John was the one who rested his head on Jesus during the “Last Supper” (John 13:23-25) as an expression of their close friendship and he was the only disciple who faithfully remained to witness Jesus on the cross first-hand (John 19:26).

The Apostle John wrote the Gospel of John, Revelation, and the three Letters of John. In the first of his three Letters, John insists that the true test of a disciple’s life is whether or not the love of God is evident in that person’s relationship with others. John emphasizes that loving God means keeping his commands and, in doing this, followers of Jesus “overcome the world” (I John 5:4).

Although John did not use the word “peace” to describe the gospel message as frequently as the Apostles Peter and Paul, for example, the substance of his teaching is the same. The Apostle John preaches the love of God like no other first century church leader. He has a clear memory of Jesus’ gift of peace given to the disciples after the resurrection (John 20:19-23). For him, peace with God, a “right relationship” with Jesus, means living a life of love for others.

There is power in the simplicity of John’s words: “This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, for everyone born of God has overcome the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God” (I John 5:3-5).

Stressed out? Too busy? Just trying to “make it”? This radical teaching by the Apostle John is good news if we are followers of Jesus and if we choose to live out the love of Jesus in our daily lives. John’s words are words of triumph because the love of God will “overcome the world.”

So What?

• This truth is so hard to hear and understand, right? In our rough-and-tumble world, how can love overcome anything? It’s force and power that seems to be dominant. Have you seen any examples of love “overcoming the world”?
• What can you do in a practical way to begin implementing these teachings? Are you willing to trust the Apostle John’s teachings that love is God’s radical strategy for “overcoming the world”?
• Think of a person who is difficult to love, or a situation that is difficult to handle in a loving way. Then think about how you could change your approach to this person or this situation in a loving way, beginning first with prayer. Ask God to help you to take this approach of love and see what happens in the course of a month or two.

Patient Peacemakers

Being patient does not come easy with me. I am not a patient guy. But I have learned, especially since coming to Russia twenty years ago, that patience is a Biblical virtue. Waiting five years to get a construction permit, instead of the normal eighteen-month wait because we would not pay bribes, taught me about patience. It is also an important reality for peacemakers.

"St James the Elder"
Peter Paul Rubens, c. 1612

The Apostle James, the brother of Jesus, developed into a major leader in the first century church. Although he did not believe in Jesus as the Messiah and even challenged his claims (John 7:2-5), James became a believer when he saw the resurrected Jesus. The Apostle Paul referred to James as a “pillar” of the church (Galatians 2:9) and Luke records James’ critical role as a mediator during the debate at the Jerusalem council over whether or not Gentile Christians must observe Jewish practices required by Mosaic law.

The Book of James was written to a Jewish audience and is one of the earliest of all New Testament writings. James’ letter shows his great familiarity with Jesus’ teaching and its central concern is the vital link between faith and works. James persuasively argues that “faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead” (2:17).

James then goes on to compare two kinds of wisdom, “earthly wisdom” and “wisdom that comes from heaven.” In ways that would be very familiar to his Jewish readers, James describes the relationship between God’s wisdom and shalom – “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.” And then James adds this note: “Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness” (3:17-18).

To Jesus’ brother, sowing in peace would result in creating conditions of justice. But James also warned the followers of Jesus to be patient: “See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop and how patient he is for the fall and spring rains. You too, be patient and stand firm” (5:7b-8a).

James’ message is clear – and we all need to hear it: Be an obedient peacemaker and trust that God will bring a “harvest of righteousness” in his own timing, as he promised.

So What?

• Do you find it as hard as I do to be patient, especially when you feel you’ve done something important and are waiting for the results? Can you think of any example in your life? How do you handle this timing of waiting when patience is needed?
• Being patient is not an act of passivity – it requires actively trusting in God’s promises that he will bless your efforts at peacemaking and reconciliation in his time. Has this been your experience?

The Big Story

Do you wake up in the morning sometimes, look around, and wonder what is going on in our crazy world?   I do.   When this happens, it reminds me of the observation made by Brent Curtis and John Eldredge in their book, The Sacred Romance, that “most of us live our lives like a movie we’ve arrived at twenty minutes late.  The action is well underway and we haven’t a clue what’s happening.  Who are these people?  Who are the good guys and who are the bad guys?  Why are they doing that?  What’s going on?  We sense that something really important, perhaps even glorious, is taking place, and yet it all seems so random.”  This insight appears in a chapter in their book entitled “A Story Big Enough to Live In.”

For many of us, when we read the Bible, it can be a confusing book and it is hard to understand what the principal themes are and how they hold together.  How do the Old and New Testaments relate to each other?  More importantly, where do we fit into this story, if at all?

Theologians talk about a meta-narrative– about the big story – of Scripture and it seems to me that getting a firm grasp on this big story is very important if we want to live as disciples of Jesus, if we want to be peacemakers in our broken world.

           

Recently I gained a fresh insight on the subject of “the big story” that I am excited to share with you.  Oxford Professor N.T. Wright suggests that we should view the Bible as a drama in multiple acts.  The creation story is Act I, where God’s plot for the world is initially revealed; Act II is the fall, where there is conflict in the story.  The remainder of the drama is the torturous resolution of this conflict and it can be divided into four further acts. 

Act III is the story of Israel, Act IV is the story of Jesus (who begins to unravel the plot conflict at is deepest roots), Act V is the story of the church, and the sixth and final act is the consummation when God’s intentions for creation are fully realized and when Jesus returns to earth in glory.

What is unusual about the Biblical drama is that the script breaks off in the middle of the fifth act, resulting in a sizable gap between Act V, Scene I (the story of the early church) and Act VI.   While there are hints in the Bible about how the story will end, there is no clear line leading from the break in Act V to the conclusion of the drama.

William Shakespeare

Professor Wright offers a creative insight on how we can think about “the big story” in the Bible and figure out where we fit in.  Suppose, he says, that there exists a Shakespeare play whose fifth act had been lost.  The first four acts provide a wealth of characters and a crescendo of excitement within the plot and those who found the lost play agree that the play ought to be staged.

The challenge is how to write a fifth act.   The best solution, Wright argues, would be to give key parts to highly trained, sensitive and experienced Shakespearian actors, who would immerse themselves in the first four acts, and in the language and culture of Shakespeare and his time, and who would then be told to work out the fifth act for themselves.

The first four acts, existing as they did, would be the undoubted authority for the task at hand.  The experienced Shakespearian actors would now have to improvise without developing behaviors that were inconsistent or unrelated to the existing text.  These actors would have to improvise and be innovative, while staying faithful to Shakespeare’s authority.

It is not necessary to draw this out much further.  When I read Dr. Wright’s insights on this, I was immediately drawn to the power of this analogy.  What a great way to think about our role as disciples in light of the authority of God’s Word.   As disciples, we need to be like highly trained, sensitive and experienced actors who know God so well that we can improvise and figure out how to live according to his teachings in our own particular context.  We need to immerse ourselves in God’s Word, so we can speak and live in light of the big story God has unfolded for us in Scripture.  Our job is to figure out, in light of God’s character and the teachings of Jesus, how we ought to live now.  This is an essential part of our calling as Jesus’ disciples.  It is indeed “A Story Big Enough to Live In”!

So What?

• Does this analogy help you?  In what ways?

• If one of your colleagues at work asked you to explain why you go to church and what your religious beliefs are, how would you answer their questions?  How would you explain “the big story” in the Bible?

Taking Shalom to the Streets

For many of us, there is a very long distance between our brains and our hearts. Those twelve inches can stretch into miles. I know I struggle with this. What I believe sometimes doesn’t make much difference in how I act.

Jesus knew this and that’s why he constantly reminded his disciples to listen to what he said and then to do it! The Apostle James repeated this message: “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says” (James 1:22).

My recent posts have discussed what Jesus taught about shalom, about being a peacemaker, and how his disciples interpreted this message and put it into practice in their own lives, after Jesus’ ascension to heaven.

Martin Luther King, Jr.

One remarkable example of how Jesus’ teachings were put into action comes from the civil rights movement under the leadership of Martin Luther King, Jr. If you wanted to be a volunteer and serve as part of his team, you had to sign a pledge agreeing to the following:

•  Meditate daily on the teachings and life of Jesus.
•  Pray daily to be used by God in order that men might be free.
•  Walk and talk in the manner of love, for God is love.
•  Sacrifice personal wishes in order that all men might be free.
•  Observe with both friend and foe the ordinary rules of courtesy.
•  Seek to perform regular service for others and for the world.
•  Refrain from the violence of fist, tongue and heart.
•  Strive to be in good spiritual and bodily health.
•  Follow the directions of the movement and of the captain of the demonstration.

Martin Luther King, Jr., whose statue and memorial are now located on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., claimed that his civil rights efforts were grounded in the Sermon on the Mount, combined with Mahatma Gandhi’s method of nonviolent resistance. He said “It was Jesus of Nazareth that stirred the Negroes to protest with the creative weapon of love.”

Birmingham police with dogs
confront peaceful demonstrators

King took Jesus’ teachings to the streets where he lead peaceful demonstrations against the discrimination that Blacks faced in America. Like many other peacemakers, he sacrificed his life to do what he was called to do.

So What?

• Reading about King’s life and his role in the civil rights movement has been inspiring to me. While other black radicals called for violence and riots, he remained committed to the way of peace. Can you think of other people who lived out Jesus’ teachings on peacemaking and who took their beliefs to the streets?

• Do you agree that the pledge that King’s volunteers were asked to sign is not only applicable to the civil rights movement, but it is good practical advice for how we ought to live every day as followers of Jesus? What would you add to this list?

• I was really struck by the pledge to “refrain from the violence of fist, tongue and heart.” How do you understand “violence of the heart”?

Live In Harmony

Jesus’ disciples help us by giving practical illustrations and guidance on how to live out the “gospel of peace.” They witnessed how Jesus lived and heard what he taught on this subject and after Pentecost they became bold witnesses for Jesus and implemented a life of peacemaking as they understood it.

As a leader in the first century church, the Apostle Peter’s actions and teachings give us helpful insights. As we saw in my last “Reflections,” Peter’s vision and his subsequent journey to the house of Cornelius provide evidence of how Peter understood the message of Jesus about peacemaking in a very practical way. He now realized that the good news of the Kingdom of God was for all people and that God was not limiting his message to the Jews. This meant that Peter had to violate practices of his day that forbade association with non-Jews -- which he did and for which he was repeatedly persecuted.

Peter’s first letter, written to Jewish and Gentile Christians scattered throughout Asia Minor, was intended to encourage these young believers to live holy lives. After explaining that the God who called them was “holy,” he argued that Christians should therefore “be holy in all you do.” Peter then described what this meant in terms of practical living.

Here are Peter’s insights in his own words (I Peter 3):

• “Live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic and humble.”
• “Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing . . . .”
• “Turn from evil and do good; . . . seek peace and pursue it.”
• “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.”

Peter’s instructions are not idealistic, utopian statements, but practical counsel that he learned from Jesus. Later Peter warned that people would speak maliciously against Christians and that they will suffer for their faith, but he encouraged his readers with these words: “It is better, if it is God’s will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil” (I Peter 3:17).

In a similar way, the Apostle James, the brother of Jesus, also shared with his friends what it meant to follow Jesus and to live as a peacemaker. In his letter to a Jewish audience, one of the earliest of all New Testament writings, James demonstrated his great familiarity with Jesus’ teaching and his central concern that faith be linked to action. James persuasively argues that “faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead” (James 2:17).

One of James’ great insights is his discussion of how wisdom is related to shalom and then how shalom is linked to the “harvest of righteousness (justice),” a link that reminds us of Isaiah’s prophecies. James puts it this way: “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 peace raise a harvest of righteousness” (James 3:18).

To Jesus’ brother, taking actions that nurture peace would result in creating conditions of justice. But James also warned believers to be patient and trust that God will bring the “harvest of righteousness” he promised.

So What?

• The Bible is a helpful guide for living a productive, healthy life. It has so many powerful insights about how to live in peace, how to confront injustice, how to deal with conflict, and how to build a more just world. This is why regular Bible reading is such an important discipline for followers of Jesus. Have you made it a part of your daily routine?
• I am not a “bumper-sticker guy,” but once in awhile I see one that really grabs my attention. Here’s a favorite: “Peace & Justice: Weapons of Mass Instruction.” Have you seen any lately that focus attention on peacemaking?
• Have you had any experiences within your family, social life or work you can share that helped you see some of the powerful links between peace, justice and wisdom?

Breaking Down Racial Barriers

So we have had a chance to see how Jesus lived and what he taught about peace. Now the question is: Did it matter? Did his closest friends, his disciples, take these actions of Jesus and his teachings and put them into practice in their own lives? This next series of reflections will look at this.

When the disciples were “filled with the Holy Spirit” at Pentecost, everything changed for them. They were no longer afraid for their lives nor did they hesitate to talk about their faith in the risen Jesus. They were now fearless witnesses of the gospel of peace.

The Gospel of Luke gives us numerous examples of how Jesus offered reconciliation between people despite their racial and cultural differences. In the same way that Jesus freely offered salvation to the Samaritan woman and to her neighbors, the Book of Acts makes it clear that the disciples now understood that the gospel was not just for Jews, but for all people. Societal prejudices that forbade communication or friendship with Gentiles were to be ignored. The gospel of peace was a message of harmony and love not to be constrained by racial or national distinctions.

"Philip Baptizes Eunuch"
Abel de Pujol

The Apostle Philip went to Samaria and preached the gospel to people whom the Jews traditionally hated. He was soon joined by Peter and John and they all traveled throughout Samaria preaching the message of peace (Acts 8:25). Philip also witnessed to the Ethiopian eunuch and “told him the good news about Jesus” (8:35).

After Pentecost, the Apostle Peter began to live out his faith with a freedom and exuberance that was contagious, but that also generated considerable opposition from Jewish religious leaders. One of the most powerful illustrations of what the gospel of peace meant to Peter in practical terms is recorded in Acts 10. Here we read about Peter’s vision and how God vividly illustrated how the gospel involved overcoming differences that divided people and kept them from hearing the truth about Jesus. When the three men sent to Peter by Cornelius, the Roman centurion, came to his house, Peter invited them in – an act in itself that was a violation of Jewish practice at that time.

Peter’s practical actions were a clear sign that he was a different man now, that his attitude and behavior toward non-Jews had changed. He was becoming a peacemaker, a reconciler between people.

"Peter Baptizing Cornelius"
Francesco Trevisani

When Peter went to the house of Cornelius, accompanied by Cornelius’ two servants and one of his soldiers, he explained to these non-Jewish listeners who Jesus was. What did Peter say to them? God does not show favoritism to certain people, but accepts anyone who believes in him and lives accordingly. He then summarized the message of Jesus by describing it as “the good news of peace” (Acts 10:36).

Of all the words Peter could have used to briefly describe Jesus’ teachings, he chose the word “peace.” The Old Testament promise of shalom was now fulfilled in Jesus Christ. Reconciliation was now possible between people of different languages and races. For Peter and his friends who went with him to Cornelius’s home, the gospel of peace had real practical application – it meant breaking down racial barriers.

So What?

• I remember my first trip to China in 1984. We met with Chinese Christians through some secret connections and I have vivid memories of standing in a circle with them, holding hands and quietly mouthing the words of several hymns. It struck me that these men and women were my brothers and sisters in Christ and that they were “family members” of mine. In fact, my relationship with them was closer than to my non-Christian neighbors back in the States. Have you ever had an experience like this where differences of language and ethnicity seemed to dissolve?
• Can you think of examples from your own experience where you saw racial barriers overcome and people of faith engaging with others with whom they normally would not relate?
• Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “I Had a Dream” speech is one of the most powerful statements I have ever heard on the “gospel of peace” and its reconciling power to bring different races together. Do you know of others?
• How can you apply this practical application of peacemaking in your own context?