I don't know about you, but I think the world has become a harsher, less kind place in the past few years. It truly wears on my heart.
Lately, I've been thinking about a slip of paper I discovered about a decade ago. It was folded inside the pages of my mother's prayer book. I believe that the prayer was written in the early 1940s, during World War II. I think about it because that prayer is still pertinent today.
It was titled A Prayer for Peace:
Lord Jesus Christ, our Sovereign Savior, we plead with You that peace may be restored to all nations; that men may live again in amity and friendliness, and that the gifts of reason and intellect, with which You have blessed Your children may no longer be used for Your denial and their destruction—but for Your glory and Your children’s restoration to and preservation in peace, through Jesus Christ, Our Lord, who lives and reigns, world without end. Amen.*
Peace. Don't you long for peace from the fog of animosity that has settled on our culture?
Nowadays, words are used as weapons. They're tossed into conversations so casually, but seemingly intended to cause the most harm. "If you're not with me, you're against me" is the mindset.
Remember when we didn't know everyone's politics? Remember when we chose a product based on price and quality?
What happened? How did we come to live in this highly charged atmosphere? The world seems to be filled with angry static.
I believe that in the midst of the ugliness, we need to step up and determine we won't add to the madness that sifts through our culture.
We need to speak kindly and use our voices to put some love into our world.
For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. James 4:14b
Time is fleeting, life is fragile. Don't waste your days holding a grudge or being in conflict with those around you.
Speak lovingly towards others. Extend kindnesses where you can. Overlook an offense. Smile. B-r-e-a-t-h-e. Slow down and be polite.
I pray that prayer now—that peace may be restored. I wish you peace, friends. And I hope that you'll extend a bit of peace to people in your world.
*I updated the prayer from the language it was written in 77ish years ago. Here's the original version:
Lord Jesus Christ, our Sovereign Savior, we plead with Thee that peace may be restored to all nations; that men may live again in amity and friendliness, and that the gifts of reason and intellect, with which Thou hast blessed Thy children may no longer be used for Thy denial and their destruction—but for Thy glory and Thy children’s restoration to and preservation in peace, through Jesus Christ, Our Lord, who livest and reignest, world without end. Amen.