Peace, Obedience, and Whispers
John 14:23–29
Peace, Obedience, and whispers
What is the peace that Christ leaves with us? This question is central to how we approach living a Christian life. Exploring this question can shine a light on what it means to be obedient to Christ's word, and how we understand the Spirits continuing presence.
The word used to express the peace left by Christ is “eirene”. This Greek word is a translation of the Hebrew word “Shalom”. Shalom is much more than an absence of conflict, in fact, it is an active word that connotates bringing together that which is broken and restoring wholeness. This is the type of peace Christ leaves with his disciples in John 14.
In this section of John’s Gospel Jesus is continuing his farewell discourse. Jesus is both reassuring his disciples and reminding them of the importance of following his word. The disciples will not have to be alone in this work because the Holy Spirit is being sent to them. The Spirit, Jesus explains, will teach and advocate for them. Jesus encourages them to put away their fear and instead turn it to joy.
The peace Jesus is leaves with the disciples is not the peace of the world, something that is often self-focused and fleeting. This is a peace that is active and genuine. It is not a promised absence of aggression that will eventually erupt into conflict once again. The peace of Christ is a way of living in the world. If chosen, this way of life leads to obedience to Christ's word which is one of love.
In many ways, the spiritual life would be a lot easier if we were simply called to be peaceful within ourselves or to be obedient to a clearly set list of guidelines. The truth is that the spiritual life is not easy and Christ's teaching is not always crystal clear. The Spirit is active in our lives as Christian people but it is up to us to discern its voice. It is all too easy to mistake our own consciousness for this voice. Depending on which side of politics you align yourself with you may take the newly elected Prime Minister’s words literally that an election victory was a miraculous event. Of course, this could only be done if we choose to forget those still languishing in current offshore detention. It is extremely hard to reconcile a crucified God with the suffering supported by an elected government. Regardless of our politics, we are called to discern how to best bring active peace through wholeness and love. This means being able to discern the whispers of our own ideologies and consciousness from the movement of the Spirit in our faith communities and our world. This task is one best undertaken in community with others.
Mahatma Gandhi famously said: “Be the change that you wish to see in the world.” It is true that change must start within ourselves. The spiritual path is one that transforms our inner life and does so by bringing us into an authentic relationship with God and one another. As people on a Christian journey, this cannot be a solitary path. The two great commandments remind us to love God but also to love one another. This has important implications for how we discern the Spirits movement among us.
Countless amounts of times I have heard people claim a song written, a poem constructed, or a prayer said, was not the work of the writer but that of the Holy Spirit. While I am not denying the ability of the Spirit to move us in these areas there are a couple of issues with this kind of statement. The first issue is that it can work as a defence mechanism. If the piece or prayer is not received well the author is shielded from the feeling of disappointment because they were simply a “medium” for the spirit. The second issue is that if the hearer disagrees with the statements being made then it is the Spirit they are disagreeing with. We need to be courageous enough to own these instances. If we do so it can lead into a discussion of differing views and a communal exploration that leads to relationship and a move towards togetherness. In other words, the work of disagreement can actually lead to us closer to the kind of peace Christ left for his people. This kind of peace leads us away from self-defence toward a focus on sharing ourselves with the other. Disagreement and a willingness to challenge ideas is not an absence of love or peace.
Transformation often takes place when we give up the notion of an absence of conflict and take up the offer of honest love Jesus has presented. We need a deep form of prayer to sustain us on this journey. It can be confronting when we decide to live the authentic path of peace. Loving people by being open, vulnerable, and challenging our own ideas can leave us feeling fatigued. Giving ourselves time to be silent before God, offering the deepest corners of ourselves before this presence leads to a loving embrace. When we are together we pray with words that are largely for the benefit of those with whom we pray. When we are in solitude our authentic selves bathed in silence is the greatest offering we can give to God.
As we each put one foot in front of the other on this path of peace may we together discern the Spirit within our communities. May our prayer be for the wholeness of our world, and the bringing together of the broken. May we always look past cheap slogans and self-righteous “winning”. In all that we do may we be a testament to the peace Christ has left with us and the movement of the Spirit in our lives.