Peace on earth?
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Editor,
Once again the thing which most of all will strike the minds of thoughtful people again this Christmas is the ironic contrast between those appealing chimes of “Peace on earth, good will to men,” and the present state of the world, with its seething rivalries, ill-will, international suspicions, crooked diplomacies, tactics of terrorists and other disturbing and debilitating fears. The supreme irony is that although the cure for all the world’s ills lies wrapped up in the tiny baby in the cattle manger in Bethlehem, the nations will not have it, people spurn the very idea that “…God loved the world so much that He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16, NLT)
Doubtless, when the angels trooped down into the night skies around Bethlehem, they did not pay significant attention to the order of the clauses in their rapturous chorus of praises; yet we cannot miss the fact that “Glory to God in the highest” comes before “Peace on earth, good will toward men.” The very sinful nature of the human heart, prevents “peace of earth” until there is first of all, “Glory to God.” Our personal lives, our communities, our world will be best served when the promise of John 3:16 has our full, undivided attention and grateful response. The Apostle Paul said it best in his letter to Timothy, “This is a trustworthy saying, and everyone should accept it: ‘Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners’” (1 Timothy 1:15a, NLT); that’s us. All of us need saving. When we all respond humbly and appropriately to Jesus, there will be peace on earth.
Harvey A. Town
Polson
