Tag Archives: international giving

Blessed are those who create peace.

Matthew 5:9

Justice, like love, is a multi-faceted jewel. I love how Richard Stearns and Timothy Keller could write two books, on essentially the same topic, which are completely different from one another. While I learn more toward one (prioritizing areas of absolute poverty), one thing I appreciated about Keller’s book was his closing chapter Peace, Beauty, and Justice. I love how he weaves these three together, showing them essentially as multi-facets of one beautiful jewel.

Keller writes,

“God created all things to be in a beautiful, harmonious, interdependent, knitted, webbed relationship to one another. Just as rightly related physical elements form a cosmos or a tapestry, so rightly related human beings form a community. This interwovenness is what the Bible calls shalom, or harmonious peace” (173)

Shalom, the biblical word for peace means “complete restoration, a state of the fullest flourishing in every dimension–physical, emotional, social, and spiritual–because all relationships are right, perfect, and filled with joy.”

This is the sacred mundane. Essentially living the sacred mundane means living a seamless life of shalom, first in our hearts and homes, and then in our cities, country, and world. To jump to generosity without first pursuing shalom is to miss the depth and dimension of truly doing justice. We seek peace in our bodies, in our finances, in our parenting and marriage and relationships. With our friends and neighbors, with our habits and in our hearts. We move outward to seek peace with our communities, all the while giving whatever we can to seek the peace of those overseas.

And here’s the cool thing–there are different ways to seek shalom in different contexts, which means that you can kind of contribute to them all at once.

• I seek shalom in my heart by abiding in the Vine. Confession, prayer, lifestyle repentance, gratitude, grace. It all brings shalom within my heart.
• I seek shalom in my home by speaking words that are kind and life-giving. By honoring and respecting my man. By lovingly and consistently discipling my kids. By teaching my children to be peace-makers with each other.
• I seek shalom in my neighborhood by simply being friendly to the same-sex couple down the street. Giving a warm smile and embrace. Praying for others. Taking fresh bread. Talking in the yard. Smiling.
• I seek shalom in my church by supporting my leaders. Praying for elders, contributing, serving, cultivating kindness and grace.
• I seek shalom in my community (at this stage in my life) by simply being all there in every encounter. A smile and “how are you today?” A choice to linger and not rush. A chat at the park. A casual invite to church.
• I seek shalom in the world by supporting (primarily financially) Africa New Life, World Vision, Compassion, and Next Generation Ministries.

See how fun this is? All of it matters. My smile won’t do anything for a starving child in Africa who cannot see my face. But giving a dollar will. Giving a dollar won’t do anything for a stressed and over-busy mom at the park. But a smile and unhurried chat just might.

Shalom is so beautiful because it’s so multi-faceted. Giving is so fun because there is such a variety of things to give—from a dollar to a smile to a firm but loving swat on the bottom (in the case of our little lambs), we have countless ways each day to promote peace wherever we are. Different situations call for different actions–how fun that our God gives us an endless supply of resources to disburse in His name!

Thanks for journeying with me as we do justice and create peace. How can you, today, create shalom in your sphere–heart, home, and world beyond?