THE GIFT of PEACE
Pretending is a temptation which none of us can totally avoid. It’s a skill that is enormously helpful to young children as they experiment with various adult roles and skills. In a way, it’s a talent that enables those on stage to portray the personality and experiences of another person. But for the rest of us, there is a fine line between putting on the appearance of feeling and being a certain kind of person in contrast to what our inner reality really is. It seems to me that Jesus is telling His dear disciples that He wants them to have a real and genuine kind of peace internally. The kind of peace that He had demonstrated throughout His time with them as He focused on doing what His Father had asked Him to do and not on His reputation or His circumstances. Help me, Lord, today, to know the difference between my legitimate concerns which can motivate me to action and my anxious or fear-filled thoughts which prevent me from living life with a genuine sense of the gift of Your peace. Help me not to simply pretend!
