As persons in the Kingdom of God, we have been gifted and called to be agents of Peace. We have accepted the Gospel of Peace given to us by Jesus, the Prince of Peace. We pray daily for things on earth to be as things are in Heaven – – Perfect Peace. We believe the phrase “peace on earth among men”, words from an Angelic host at the birth of Jesus (Yeshua). I believe that these truths undergird the biblical expectation for believers in the Kingdom of God to be Ambassadors of Peace.
In view of the widespread divisions that exist all over the world, there is an unspoken ever-present battle for WORLD PEACE. Protests turn violent; mobs take over police stations, college students demand replacement of the university president, pastor locks the doors of the church to keep members out, riots in a major city 90 days straight, and opposing protestors clash resulting in one killed and several wounded by gunfire. Three years earlier we would be certain that these occurrences would be in a nation other than the USA! The unfortunate truth is that we are in a battle for peace in the USA!
I believe the chaos, division, anger, and rage that has created an atmosphere that is void of Peace is a direct result of the lost ability of the Body of Messiah, The Church, the community of Believers, to influence society at large. Believers in Messiah are expected to live their lives in a manner that would reflect joy and peace causing the secular community to become jealous for the same peaceful environment. The question may be asked, “how can we create this infectious community of Peace?” The answer is quite simple:
We must live our lives in the kingdom of God on earth by actively loving our neighbor as ourselves and considering them as more important than ourselves.
I implore every believer reading this Reflection, to commit to living a selfless life that will cause your neighbors at home, at work, or in the market places of life to become envious of your expression of love to the point of wanting to emulate your behavior. Simply put, a Godly Infectious Relationship between husbands and wives will result in families living infectious lives resulting in churches influencing neighborhoods, then cities, then states, resulting in our Nation being infused by infectious Peace! It all starts with your Home, Church, and Kingdom to come upon the earth. May we take action to let it begin with us! World Peace must begin with our execution of the TWO GREATEST Commandments!
Shalom Aleichem and Happy Jerusalem Day,
Dr. Raleigh B. Washington DD, MDIV
Dr. Raleigh Washington co-authored “Breaking Down Walls,” a winner of The Gold Medallion Book Award, and is president emeritus of Rock Church and Promise Keepers. Following Mother Theresa and Desmond Tutu, he was awarded Westminster College’s third Doctor of Peacemaking.
