Burunche’s Blog

John 13:1 “It was now just before the Passover Feast, and Jesus knew that His hour had come to leave this world and return to the Father. Having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the very end. The evening meal was underway, and the devil had already put into the heart of Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus. Jesus knew that the Father had delivered all things into His hands, and that He had come from God and was returning to God. So He got up from the supper, laid aside His outer garments, and wrapped a towel around His waist. After that, He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and dry them with the towel that was around Him.”

All the disciples knew that Judas had been a problem for years! Why Jesus had been willing to trust Judas with the money box was more than any of the other disciples could imagine! It was an open secret that Judas would “appropriate” amounts of money for his own use, although where the money was going was more than anybody could say. The word on the street was that only today someone had seen Judas heading off to meet with the priests, and that couldn’t mean anything good! Everybody knew that the Sanhedrin was already nervous at Jesus’s teachings and his popularity. It wouldn’t surprise any of the disciples if Judas was really cooking up something dreadful…..And yet…

And yet, that night Jesus invited all of the disciples, including Judas, to share the Passover meal with him. Wouldn’t you know it, nobody remembered to arrange for a servant to do the obnoxious tasks such as washing the dirt and grime of Jerusalem off the disciples’ feet. And none of the disicples were ready to tackle that job! Why, whoever was stupid enough to pick up that towel and that basin was automatically indicating that they felt they were less than the other disciples. James and John’s mother had already been trying to manipulate Jesus into promising that her sons were going to be his number one and number two men in his new kingdom. Nope! Somebody else could pick up that towel, thank you very much!

And so all the disciples entered the room and sat down, acutely conscious of everybody else’s smelly feet. WHEW! What a way to begin a celebration! They could scarcely concentrate on the smell of the food because of the smell of their own feet. And then Jesus did the unthinkable! Jesus got up and in a familiar gesture, wrapped the towel around his waste, took the basin and began washing all of the disciple’s feet, starting with Peter. And over the protests of Peter and everyone else, Jesus went around the room and washed all of the disciples’ feet, including those of Judas Iscariot.

Was Jesus so stupid that he had no idea what Judas was planning? Far from it! Jesus was acutely aware that Judas had already done a deal with the priests and the Sanhedrin and that sometime in the next few hours, soldiers would be coming to arrest him. So WHY, WHY,WHY did Jesus wash Judas’ feet?

I believe that when Jesus washed Judas’ feet, he was fulfilling the prophecies about the Messiah as Suffering Servant. Jesus came as both the Son of God and the Son of Man, and Jesus knew where he was about to go. Jesus was about to leave this world and return to his Heavenly Father. Jesus’ time was growing desperately short, and there were still many things he needed to teach the disciples. Chief among these lessons was the call to servanthood leadership. No lectures would have been sufficient, but to their dying days, none of the disciples would ever forget the touch of Jesus’s hands on their feet as he tenderly and lovingly washed them. So many times leter in their lives they would long for just one second of that touch! John 13:14 “If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. 15 For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you.“

But Jesus also had a special reason for washing Judas’ feet. I believe that in washing Judas’ feet, Jesus was giving Judas one last chance to repent. Really, everybody in Jerusalem knew who Jesus was and where the disciples and he hung out. The soldiers could have taken Jesus in at any time, and they didn’t need Judas to identify Jesus. Perhaps the priests wanted to make use of Judas so that they could distance themselves further from the horror of the act they were about to commit. “Look, even one of his own disciples was willing to bring a complaint against him. What could we do? We had to investigate.” No, amazing as it might seem, even as Jesus was washing Judas’ feet, I believe that Jesus was silently begging his Father to change Judas’ heart. But Judas had already hardened his heart and left the gathering as soon as Jesus handed him the tell – tale piece of bread that indicated that Jesus knew of Judas’ desire to betray him.

Today we have witnessed various acts of contrition by different groups throughout America. There are arguments about the validity of these acts when the people who are carrying them out are not the people who perpetrated the injustice in the first place. There are even questions about whether or not the people to whom apologies have been rendered were worthy of the apologies. And these are good questions.

But consider this: none of us can earn our way into heaven. Had Jesus not lived a sinless life and died, shedding his blood for us, none of us would have any chance of measuring up at all. If Jesus died for all of us, and we know that we are unworthy, what are we then to do if we are to be imitaters of Jesus?

One writer in the Olive Tree Blog put it well when he said, “I am to serve, love, and do for others like Jesus did for me.  I am to put down my own needs, my own pride, and serve others, even those who will betray me.  Even those who will turn their backs on me.  I am to love and serve as our Lord and Teacher Jesus Christ loved and served me.”

PRAYER: Father, please help us to be like Jesus. Help us to forgive and serve, whether or not those we serve are worthy. And Father, direct us so that we will serve the people you most want us to go to. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Psalm 33:12 “Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD…”

Today it is fashionable to reject the country of America, using the actions of a minority of its citizens as an excuse. This type of thinking carries with it a presumption that somewhere in the world there must/should be a perfect country and that America does not measure up.

Any large group of people will present a mixed picture. Some people will be very good; others will be very bad. Some people will be people of faith; others will try to deny the existence of God. Some people will discriminate on the basis of skin color, education, financial standing, or some other bias, while others make no such distinctions. Even the very people who are being most critical about America are a varied lot as well.

There is no doubt that injustices have been done in America. Those injustices do not negate the fact that the American Constitution has stood for more than 230 years and has served as a model for many other countries around the world. The people who wrote that Constitution were human and had failings, not unlike people who are now attacking that same Constitution. Some of those who wrote the Constitution owned slaves. Some of those who are attacking the Constitution may be wearing garments produced by workers whose wages and working conditions are so poor that they are virtually slaves. Even the lithium used in long – life batteries in cell phones and computers may be the result of child slave labor in the mines that produced it.

 Throughout American history, there were those who worked for social justice and those who opposed it. There were those who did all that they could to end slavery, even to the point of endangering their own lives and the lives of their families, to smuggle slaves to freedom. There were those who approved institutionalized oppression of women and minorities and those who worked to end that oppression. The list of comparisons is endless. Bottom Line: There is no perfect country and if there were one, none of us would qualify to enter.

What we all need now is a large dose of humility. One great example is the prophet Daniel. Daniel and three of his friends were captured by King Nebuchadnezzar and carried away to Babylon, where they became slaves. God allowed the Babylonians to capture Israel because they had left worshiping the one true living God to worship demons. Daniel was not part of that decision; he was an innocent victim of it. Daniel knew that he would never see his homeland again. Perhaps Daniel’s family members were killed before his very eyes before he was dragged away in chains to Babylon. If ever someone suffered injustice, that person was Daniel; yet, hear what Daniel chose to do.

Daniel 9: 1 “In the first year of Darius son of Xerxes,a a Mede by descent, who was made ruler over the kingdom of the Chaldeans — 2 in the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, understood from the sacred books, according to the word of the LORD to Jeremiah the prophet, that the desolation of Jerusalem would last seventy years. 3 So I turned my attention to the Lord God to seek Him by prayer and petition, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes.”

Daniel realized that his people were to be in bondage for seventy years and that the time was approaching for that seventy years to complete. Daniel could have merely sat back, telling himself that God was in control and that there was nothing he, Daniel, could do about it. But Daniel chose a different way entirely! The entire ninth chapter of Daniel tells how Daniel prayed and fasted on behalf of his people, confessing their sins. (Incidentally, by this point, Daniel was elderly, having served a succession of rulers as an advisor. Daniel didn’t allow his age to hinder him either.)

Daniel 9:7 – 8 “To You, O Lord, belongs righteousness, but this day we are covered with shame—the men of Judah, the people of Jerusalem, and all Israel near and far, in all the countries to which You have driven us because of our unfaithfulness to You. O LORD, we are covered with shame—our kings, our leaders, and our fathers—because we have sinned against You.”

Even though Daniel was faithfully worshiping God and praying facing Jerusalem five times a day, he still felt compelled to intercede on behalf of himself and his countryment. Daniel made no excuses but made a comprehensive list of all the ways in which Israel had failed to follow the Lord. Daniel not only confessed those sins but also OWNED THEM because he was a descendant of those who had committed those sins. Daniel could have excused himself by saying truthfully that he had always worshiped God and that he had never bowed to an idol. Having confessed the sins of his people, Daniel went on to beg God for forgiveness, for mercy, and for the fulfillment of the prophecies given to Jeremiah. The prophecy referred to here is recorded in Jeremiah 29 in which God promises that the capitivity of Israel in Babylon will last seventy years.

[Jeremiah 29:10 “For this is what the LORD says: “When Babylon’s seventy years are complete, I will attend to you and confirm My promise to restore you to this place. 11For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, to give you a future and a hope. 12Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. 13You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart. 14I will be found by you, declares the LORD, and I will restore you from captivityc and gather you from all the nations and places to which I have banished you, declares the LORD. I will restore you to the place from which I sent you into exile.”]

Today, we should thank God for the nation of America with all of its flaws and shortcomings. We ourselves are human with many flaws and shortcomings; however, we expect others to overlook our failings and to give us credit for our good points. Let us be gentle with our history, realizing that there are huge parts of it about which we might be ignorant, good things as well as bad. And let us above all else thank God that He has not rejected us but has made a way for us to be with Him through redemption by the Blood of Jesus Christ.

PRAYER: Father, thank you for America! Bless this country! Guide our leaders into the ways of truth. Lord, we confess that we have turned a blind eye to the needs of many of our fellow Americans. Forgive us, Lord! Father, we ask that you send your Light and your Truth into America. Show us the areas that need to change, but allow that change to come peacefully and not in destruction. Please help all of us to forgive those who have prepetrated injustices but also help us to move forward to embrace a future in which each citizen will have equal access. Lord, we bind up every spirit of destruction and we ask for your Holy Spirit to enter every place where hatred and violence are building walls. We thank you and praise you and bless you. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Psalm 25:12 “Who is the man who fears the LORD? He will instruct him in the path chosen for him. “

Today many of us are confused. We want to help those who are oppressed but we are not sure how to begin. Some of us are reeling from the loss of jobs or damage to our communities. Each day seems to bring new and conflicting information about COVID – 19. “Wearing a mask helps.” “Wearing a mask only helps if you are sick.” “Wearing a mask doesn’t really help at all.” “Take this supplement/treatment for protection.” “No! That supplement doesn’t work.”

Many of us are fed up with news sources and social media. Where can we get reliable guidance? The only Source we can truly count on is the One who made us in the first place, the One True Living God. God is the Source of all wisdom and knowledge and the Source of all peace and tranquility. Apart from God, all other answers are temporary and ultimately meaningless.

Psalm 121 says:I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come?

2My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.

3He will not allow your foot to slip; your Protector will not slumber.

4Behold, the Protector of Israel will not slumber or sleep.

5The LORD is your keeper; the LORD is the shade on your right hand.

6The sun will not strike you by day nor the moon by night.

7The LORD will guard you from all evil; He will preserve your soul.

8The LORD will watch over your coming and going, both now and forevermore.

“But,” you say, “I am not sure that I even believe in this God you are talking about.” Fair enough. SO, pray to Him anyway. Ask God to make Himself real to you and to show Himself to you. God is a good Father; He does not play charades with His children. What do you have to lose? Only your misery, your uncertainty, and your inner turmoil. Let’s pray.

Dear God, some of us are not certain that You are even here. Please show those who are searching but doubting that You are real and that you have power over every part of their lives. Guide those who are looking for direction. Give peace to those who need peace. Grant wisdom to those who need wisdom. And let them all know you as their loving Heavenly Father. In the mighty Name of Jesus. Amen.

Matthew 11:6 “And blessed (happy, fortunate, and to be envied) is he who takes no offense at Me and finds no cause for stumbling in or through Me and is not hindered from seeing the Truth.”

There are many evil spirits in the world, and the spirit of offense is one of the most subtle. Being offended feels so good, so RIGHT!

“After all, those people who hurt me REALLY don’t understand anything; if they did, they would think the same way that I do. Obviously, they must be lesser human beings if they are that dense.”

It is no accident that suddenly all kinds of offended people are coming out of the woodwork. Resentments that have been cherished for years are being dumped on all and sundry, sometimes with disastrous results.

It is a well – known fact that Coca Cola contains so much acid that you can use it to clean the terminals on your car battery. For years, dentists have warned us about the dangers to our teeth from carbonated beverages. But Coca Cola still sells millions of bottles each day. Cherishing hurts and resentments is similar to collecting as much acid as possible; the more you collect, the more it hurts you and damages you inside.

What is the answer? How does one become un – offendable? Only by the grace of God can we change. We must start by forgiving people, even when we feel they do not deserve it. (One good question: How many times have we hurt others without realizing it? Don’t we want to be forgiven?)

1 Corinthians 13:5 – 6 says that “Love(God’s love in us) does not insist on its own rights or its own way, for it is not self – seeking ; it is not touchy or fretful or resentful; it takes no account of the evil done to it[it pays no attention to a suffered wrong]. It does not rejoice at injustice and unrighteousness, but rehjoices when right and truth prevail.”

Notice the mention of a SUFFERED WRONG. We are not asked to lie to ourselves. Sometimes people are asked to “forgive and forget,” and when they cannot forget, they fear that they have failed to forgive.

C.S. Lewis had a very rocky relationship with his father and struggled many times to forgive him. Finally Lewis decided that he would consciously forgive his father; he would not forget the hurts, but also he would not rehearse them. Each time Lewis was tempted to remember something hurtful his father had done, he would forgive that hurt. After some time, Lewis realized that while he could remember his father’s actions, the memories were no longer painful and he felt reconciled to his father.

Today, search your heart. Are you judging others? Are you allowing yourself to take offense at every little thing that is said to you with which you do not agree? Ask God to deliver you from the spirit of offense. And the next time Satan tries to remind you how much you have been hurt, tell him that God has taken care of it.

PRAYER: Father God, help us forgive! Without your Grace, we can do nothing. We thank you that you are merciful and that you graciously forgive us repeatedly. We confess that we are sinners and that it is only because Jesus sacrificed His life for us on Calvary that we can be forgiven. Thank you for the cross! Thank you for redemption! And thank you for eternal life. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

In the last few days, many of us have observed the destruction of communities with horror. Innocent people whose only crime was living in a particular area have lost homes and businesses and livelihoods. Emergency workers and security workers who have dedicated their lives to helping people have been assaulted and injured or killed, leaving their families to grieve and wonder if their sacrifices were worth it. Evil spirits are hovering over our land, seeking anyone whom they can use.

1 John 2:9 ”If anyone claims to be in the light but hates his brother, he is still in the darkness. 10 Whoever loves his brother remains in the light, and there is no cause of stumbling in him. 11 But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness. He does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.”

There is no doubt that many social injustices have been perpetrated. But one of the ironies of the current situation is that governing bodies such as city councils who could have addressed these injustices long ago are now attempting to blame anyone else they can as a means of distracting public attention from themselves. Politicians who have tolerated situations for years are now attempting to make political capital out of them.

One of the foundational aspects of social injustice is the willingness of different groups to judge others, demonizing groups while assuming that their personal motives are pure and without bias. Quite honestly, there is nobody on this planet who does not cherish a particular set of beliefs and who is not convinced that their beliefs are worthy, even as they severely castigate others. Racial distinctions, financial distinctions, even distinctions within particular ethnic groups, distinctions on the basis of profession or educational level – these are only a few of the myriad of ways in which we judge others and justify ourselves.

Name – calling and insults serve no useful purpose whatsoever and only result in further divisions. There is an old saying that when you point one finger at someone else, you have several fingers pointing back at yourself.

Healing begins with humility. Unless and until you are willing to accept the fact that you as a human being can make mistakes, you will never bother to listen to anyone else. “My mind’s made up; don’t confuse me with the facts.”

Make no mistake! Evil spirits are real and they are currently motivating those who are destroying our cities. The struggle continues between the darkness and the light. Anytime you choose to support those who are destroying homes and businesses and making communities war zones, you are choosing the darkness.

The apostle John goes on to say this: ”And this is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you: God is light, and in Him there is no darkness at all. If we say we have fellowship with Him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.

 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make Him out to be a liar, and His word is not in us.” 1 John 1:5-10

Today, you must choose. Will you choose humility and healing, or will you choose to accuse and denounce and destroy?

PRAYER: Father God, let everyone who reads this come under the convicting power of the Holy Spirit and let this meditation have Your effect. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Psalm 73:13 – 14 “Surely in vain I have kept my heart pure; in innocence I have washed my hands. For I am afflicted all day long and punished every morning.”

The man who wrote this psalm was thoroughly and completely disgusted and fed up! He had tried to live a righteous life, but what had that gotten him? Not much! Meanwhile, his neighbor, perhaps a crooked businessman, was living in luxury. The psalmist was disgusted and wanted to make sure God knew about it!

When I was growing up on the farm, we had to change the position of fences on a regular basis. To help set the fence posts, we had a type of auger mounted on the back of the tractor. After positioning the auger, we would engage the power take – off and the auger would drill a nice deep hole. There was only one problem with that auger: it only worked in one direction. The longer the power take – off was engaged, the deeper the hole would get. Self pity is a lot like that.

Oswald Chambers speaks about self pity in “My Utmost for His Highest” in the November 10^th selection. Chambers says, “I must learn that the purpose of my life belongs to God, not me. God is using me from His great personal perspective, and all He asks of me is that I trust Him. I should never say, “Lord, this causes me such heartache.” To talk that way makes me a stumbling block. When I stop telling God what I want, He can freely work His will in me without any hindrance. He can crush me, exalt me, or do anything else He chooses. He simply asks me to have absolute faith in Him and His goodness. Self-pity is of the devil, and if I wallow in it I cannot be used by God for His purpose in the world. Doing this creates for me my own cozy “world within the world,” and God will not be allowed to move me from it because of my fear of being “frost-bitten.”

How do you combat injustice? Injustice must be opposed in humility, recognizing that many times your personal prejudices might appear quite unjust to someone else. Humility allows you to sit and listen, rather than jumping to conclusions that you have all the answers for a particular situation. But one thing that does NOT help combat injustice is encouraging the victims of that injustice to wallow in self – pity. You cannot empower people and foster self – pity at the same time. Self pity is like leukemia. Leukemia moves into your very bones and either manufactures abnormal cells or causes the bone marrow to stop producing cells at all. Self pity takes away initiative, saps energy, and focuses one’s attention in the wrong direction. Just like that mounted auger, self – pity will keep digging deeper and deeper holes, until it’s almost impossible to see out! Yes, Chambers is right! Self – pity is of the devil !

Prayer: Father God, this morning we confess that we have wallowed in self – pity so many times and have also encouraged others to do the same. Lord, deliver us from ourselves! Help us to climb out of the holes we have created and to go forward into the future you have for us. Let us be used by you for your purposes. In the mighty and precious Name of Jesus. Amen.

Proverbs 22:24 – 25 “Do not make friends with an angry man, and do not associate with a hot-tempered man, or you may learn his ways and entangle yourself in a snare.”

Throughout America, there are concerned people of all ages who want to see social change and justice for those who have suffered racial discrimination. These goals are admirable. But will violence achieve these goals? No.

Violence begets violence and hatred begets hatred. Self – pity is a deadly temptation because the longer you think about how badly someone has mistreated you, the angrier you become and the more likely you are to become violent. Associate with violent people and you too will become violent.

America needs healing, but it will never come at gunpoint. The communities that have successfully avoided destruction and looting have been those where people came together peacefully and shared meals together and prayed together.

Today, each of us has a choice: will we become bitter or better? Proverbs 4:23 says, “Guard your heart with all diligence, for from it flow springs of life.”

When we choose hatred, violence, resentment, and name – calling, we are choosing death. When we choose to listen, to help, to bless and to forgive, we are choosing life. Today, which will you choose?

PRAYER: Father God, help each one of us to listen to your voice and to choose peace, to choose forgiveness, and to choose reconciliation. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Psalm 46: 1-3 “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in times of trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth is transformed and the mountains are toppled into the depths of the seas, though their waters roar and foam and the mountains quake in the surge.“

Today many of us are appalled at the wanton destruction being inflicted on our communities. We pray for peace and wonder how peace can possibly come. The answer is to trust God.

In the last few months, many of the things we thought were so permanent have disappeared. But God has not gone away. God is still with us, and God is still on the throne.

People have free will; otherwise, we would be only puppets. God in his infinite mercy and grace has allowed us to make our own choices, even when they were poor ones. The interesting thing about some of the protests is that some groups appear to be trying to control others so that they have no chance to choose. This behavior is not godly; God does not force Himself upon people.

The point is this: no matter what is happening and no matter how much upheaval we are facing, God is still our refuge and strength. Today, do not give in to despair. Trust God and pray for Him to bring His Light and His Truth into all of the confusion that has gripped our world. He will do it. And if we ask for God to send His Peace, He will send that also.

Psalm 46: 4-11 “There is a river whose streams delight the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells.

God is within her; she will not be moved. God will help her when morning dawns.

Nations rage, kingdoms crumble; the earth melts when He lifts His voice.

The LORD of Hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.

Selah (Pause and calmly think on that.)

Come, see the works of the LORD, who brings devastation upon the earth.

He makes wars to cease throughout the earth; He breaks the bow and shatters the spear;

He burns the shieldsb in the fire.

“Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted over the earth.”

The LORD of Hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.

SELAH! (Pause and calmly think on that! )

Father God, bring your peace to our hearts and help us to trust you completely. In the mighty Name of Jesus. Amen.

Psalm 121: I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come?

2My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.

3He will not allow your foot to slip; your Protector will not slumber.

4Behold, the Protector of Israel will not slumber or sleep.

5The LORD is your keeper; the LORD is the shade on your right hand.

6The sun will not strike you by day nor the moon by night.

7The LORD will guard you from all evil; He will preserve your soul.

8The LORD will watch over your coming and going, both now and forevermore.

These days many people are appalled by what they see on social media. Images of looting, burning, murder, and destruction leave most of us in despair. We must continue to pray earnestly for healing in our nation! But, amid these images of horror, there are other images as well. There are prayer meetings. Groups are moving in to clean up neighborhoods and to help in other ways. In Minneapolis, many have donated groceries to people in areas affected by rioting. God is still moving and still using people to reach out in love and compassion.

A burning question in the midst of this chaos is this: what forms the foundation of your life? In what are you trusting for security? In the last few months, many people have lost businesses. Many have struggled with health problems. Many have seen their incomes drop precipitously. And many have lost possessions. Jobs, health, savings, houses, vehicles – any or all of these things can disappear in an instant.

In the days when this psalm was written, many pagans sited places of worship on the tops of hills or mountains. When the psalmist asks “From where does my help come?” he is implying that these high places of idol worship are worthless. Instead, the psalmist firmly states that his help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. God is eternal; He always was and always will be. God knows us better than we know ourselves, and He knows those things that we need. God also knows how to protect us better than we can protect ourselves.

Psalm 46:1 says “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in times of trouble.” Today we can take comfort in this fact and call upon God to help guide us through these troubled times. People may be agitated; God is not. People may be upset; God is not. Put your trust in the One who is mighty to save!

PRAYER: Father God, help us! We are frightened by what we are seeing. But we know, Lord, that your love is reaching even now into all of these torn – up communities. Father, hep us to trust you and to act in love and compassion and not in fear. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

James 3: 13”Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good conduct, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. 14 But if you harbor bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast in it or deny the truth. 15 Such wisdom does not come from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. 16 For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every evil practice. 17 But the wisdom from above is first of all pure, then peaceable, gentle, accommodating, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial, and sincere. 18 Peacemakers who sow in peace reap the fruit of righteousness.”

How did the dove become a symbol of peace? The use of a dove and olive branch as a symbol of peace originated with the early Christians, who portrayed the act of baptism accompanied by a dove holding an olive branch in its beak and also used the image on their sepulchres. These believers adopted the dove because of the story of Noah sending out a dove to determine when the flood had ended. When the dove returned with an olive branch in its mouth, Noah knew that the land was becoming dry and that it was safe to leave the ark. Doves also have a reputation for being soft gentle birds who do not harm other birds. Sometimes pacifists are referred to as “doves.”

Being a person of peace is very difficult! In the last few days, we have witnessed scenes of young people attempting to clean up after rioters, only to be criticized or even to be attacked. These young people were people of peace attempting to repair the damage done by others. Many of the people who have died in the riots were people of peace who were attacked despite their innocent actions. The Civil Rights movement of the 1960’s succeeded precisely because most of the protestors remained peaceful, even after being beaten with clubs and thrown in jail. India gained its independence from Great Britain not through violence but through Mahatma Gandhi’s peaceful non – resistance campaigns.

In some cities in the U.S., violence has been avoided when people of peace came together with police for meals and prayer meetings. Those people saved their communities by their bravery. And at the same time, those courageous people “reaped the fruit of righteousness.”

Marching in protest marches has little value if it encourages others to become violent. In these days of videos instantly posted on YouTube, you have no control over the way your attempt at a peaceful demonstration might be misused. On the other hand, cleaning up a neighborhood demonstrates a willingness to go beyond the protests to truly bring healing.

Today, let us be people of peace. It’s difficult and potentially even dangerous. But in the end, it’s worth it.

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 5: 9 – 10