The title of my post would lead you to think that I actually have the answer to what it really takes to be the maker of peace. The simple truth is that I have no idea truly how to be an actual peace maker. All I can really say is that it takes a whole lot of laying down of ones life for another, a whole lot of love and a lot of trust and faith. St. Francis petitioned. "Lord make me an instrument of your peace . . ." An instrument of peace. Truly, is there any greater instrument to strive towards being than that of an instrument of peace? But you see, there's the rub. Francis didn't say, "Lord I am your instrument of peace," but rather, "Make me an instrument of your peace." In order to truly be an instrument of peace, we have to die to self and be made into the person that God created us to truly be.
I have thought long and hard about what it takes to be an instrument of peace. I have tried all sorts of ways to be a peaceful person, to strive towards peaceful relationships, to be a champion of the peace, so to speak. But what I have found is that all of
my ways of being an instrument of peace fail. And I wonder why. The true answer, of course, lies in the humbling fact that it is not me who can make me an instrument of peace. It is, rather, God, and God alone, who can breathe into me the grace and love that he freely gives to me if
only I accept it that will make me into an instrument of his peace.
Again, the reality of that knowledge seems simple, but this is where the rubber meets the road. Jesus said, "there is no greater love than to lay down one's life for another." I have recently come to understand that this means more than just the literal dying of physical self. In our lives in which we lead, it means a dying to one's own self daily in order to love another truly and in order to allow God's peace to truly reign through us as "instruments of his peace." This is hard,
really hard and takes a daily intentional dying to self, of trusting in God, and allowing him to
make you into the instrument of love and peace in which he created you to be. God's true peace is available to us all
if only we will accept it.
In this new year 2014 and in all my years living on this earth, I humbly petition to our Maker, "Lord,
make me and instrument of your peace." I know I will fall many times over as I attempt to die to self in order to make room for God to truly make me into his instrument of peace. What will sustain me is my hope in God who's Grace and unending Love will pick me up and help me along the way as I trust in him and grow in faith and relationship with him on this life journey. My wish for all in this new year and beyond is that you will receive God's peace as you also grow in faith and relationship with God in your own life's journey.
1 comment:
Very beautiful words, Amy. Your new year's wish for the world is the greatest wish that that anyone could have. If we would just ... one person at a time ... receive God's peace ... life would be so much easier and the world would be a better place for us all!
Post a Comment