Pursuing Peace

Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it. – Psalm 34:14 (NRSV)

 

What does it mean to depart from evil?  Do you actually do good?  What does your good do for the world?  Why is it important not only to seek peace but to also pursue it?  Where have you found peace?

 

The following story is at http://www.inspirationpeak.com/shortstories/realpeace.html

There once was a king who offered a prize to the artist who would paint the best picture of peace. Many artists tried.  The king looked at all the pictures. But there were only two he really liked, and he had to choose between them.

One picture was of a calm lake. The lake was a 
perfect mirror for peaceful towering mountains all around it. Overhead was a blue sky with fluffy white clouds. 
All who saw this picture thought that it was a perfect 
picture of peace.

The other picture had mountains, too. But these were rugged 
and bare. Above was an angry sky, from which rain fell and in which lightning played. Down the side of the mountain tumbled a foaming waterfall. This did not look peaceful at all.

But when the king looked closely, he saw behind the waterfall a tiny bush growing in a crack in the rock. In the bush a mother bird had built her nest. There, in the midst of the rush of angry water, sat the mother bird on her nest - in perfect peace.

Which picture do you think won the prize? The king chose the second picture. Do you know why?

"Because," explained the king, "peace does not mean to be in a place where there is no noise, trouble, or hard work. Peace means to be in the midst of all those things and still be calm in your heart. That is the real meaning of peace."

 

Doing good for others is to be an anchor of peace in the midst of stress and trouble!  Evil will always surround us, but by seeking peace and pursuing it, we will always provide people who are looking for hope the ability to have it by holding onto ours.  Let us do good by pursuing peace today!

With hope and joy,

Garrett