Writing Love Letters for Peace
Maybe the greatest work of peace isn’t about winning arguments but embodying peace itself. Maybe the way we speak, act, and carry ourselves is the first step in the peacemaking process.
“Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness.” -James 3:18 NIV
If your social media feeds are like mine, moral outrage flows back and forth like the ocean tides, with arguments rolling over counter arguments. I guarantee you, no one is changing their opinion in these exchanges -- talking past one other is not an effective strategy.
This reminds me of the 1960s when our nation was divided over the Viet Nam war. Demonstrations filled the streets. Angry voices shouted “America, love it or leave it,” while others, just as strident, chanted [edited] “Heck No! We won’t go!”
We’ve been here before.
At that time, Thich Nhat Hanh, a Buddhist monk began to call for peace and an end to the war. This infuriated not only South Viet Nam and the United States, but also the Viet Cong. Neither side trusted the gentle monk, and so both took turns banishing him from his homeland for almost 50-years.
However, exiled in France, Thich Nhat Hanh continued to work for peace and eventually was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. In his book, Being Peace, he offered this insight –
“There is a lot of anger, frustration, and misunderstanding in the peace movement. The peace movement can write very good protest letters, but they are not yet able to write a love letter.”
Thich Nhat Hanh continued –
“Can the peace movement talk in loving speech, showing the way for peace? Because without being peace, we cannot do anything for peace.”
Almost two thousand years earlier, the apostle James wrote something similar to his beleaguered congregation:
“Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness.” -James 3:18 NIV
Maybe the greatest work of peace isn’t about winning arguments but embodying peace itself. Maybe the way we speak, act, and carry ourselves is the first step in the peacemaking process.
So before you hit "post" on that next Facebook comment -- pause. Take a breath and ask yourself:
Am I writing a protest letter, or a love letter?
Thought for Today: How can I be peace today without saying a word?
