World Peace is one of just two easy answers in life. It’s the correct response when a pageant contestant is asked what she would most want to see happen during her lifetime. This response is the mocked canned answer made famous in the movie Miss Congeniality. The other easy answer is “Jesus” in response to just about any children’s Sunday School question. Interestingly, although these two answers should be one in the same, we too often find them further apart than the east is from the west.
And, though you may not realize it, you play an important role in it!
This is what makes Jonathan Edwards’ 33rd Resolution so interesting to me.
Jonathan Edwards Resolution 33
Edwards’ Resolution #33 (in my modernized language)
Resolved: Always strive towards making, maintaining, establishing and preserving peace, whenever possible without over-balancing the value of peace to a point that it becomes detrimental in other respects.
The Human Path to World Peace
The human way of seeking world peace is one of implying that we can achieve it using human ingenuity and effort. It relies on the revering of self-made men and women. Those same men and women would receive glory and acclaim IF they were to accomplish this seemingly impossible task. And then, those same men and women would receive, on top of money, fame, statues and the like, a crown (whether metaphorical or real) for being the “bringer of world peace.”
The human path to world peace seeks to achieve the highest of ideals without involvement from God. There is no admission of a higher power, with whom we would rely upon to move the mountains and part the waters we cannot. There is no surrender. No. We want to be the last person standing and the one to wear the crown.
Though there are many problems with that line of thinking, here is one big reason it’s a quest of futility without God: we cannot agree on what world peace actually is. This has become all the more factual since first writing this post before the contested U.S. Presidential election of 2020 and the worldwide covid-19 pandemic.
Think about it: would the person next to you on the bus share your definition of world peace? Would your husband or wife have the same definition of world peace? What about your best friend? Or the person standing behind you in line at the checkout (the one you are mad at for either choosing to wear a mask or not wear one)?
Methinks the answer is no on any of those accounts. That’s because peace for me is not the same as it is for you. The sad reality is; anything that interferes with OUR peace is at odds with our desires.
And it therefore becomes our enemy.
The Jesus Path to World Peace
If the human means for world peace has drastic shortcomings, then, what is the Jesus path to world peace?
For help with that, I’m turning to pastor, author, and life refiner, James MacDonald, a man of God who has battled for his own semblance of peace in recent years. On March 16, 2018, he sent a message titled “The Purpose of Peace” to his readers. In it, he notes that each Gospel writer gives the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19–20, Mark 16:15, Acts 1:8), though it is first mentioned by John.
Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I am sending you. – John 20:21 (NIV)
As MacDonald observes:
“Peace is the calm assurance that what God is doing is best. Peace comes from knowing that He is in control… is God’s way of signaling to your soul that you can rest in Him, that you can trust Him, that you’ll be able to see Him at work. We’d all like having a little bit more of His peace in our lives.”
God’s Purpose for Peace
“World Peace” is the easy pageant answer just as “Jesus” is the easy children’s Sunday school answer. True world peace, though, is hardly and easy feat. In a world that is often at war with one another, and with people who are often at war with themselves, Jesus is the one answer.
While unpacking and pondering this resolution, my understanding and the framing of its output, made a pretty drastic change from what I intended. God has a way of doing that. 🙂
Could it be that the path to world peace begins with inner peace?
Perhaps. And the rest of this post will help you see what got me thinking it. Yet, inner peace begins with Jesus.
You see, God’s purpose for peace is enabling participation in His mission. That means, when Jesus says to his disciples, “Peace be with you,” he offers that solace for us as well. He still wants to lift our cares off us because he’s given us work to do. He’s always preparing us for the next moment. And the moment after that. As we realize the only real joy and happiness we can experience is not a goal or an idyllic pageant answer, but simply a byproduct that is gracefully instilled by God.
Balance and World Peace
Something that stands out as interesting about this resolution, is Edwards’ note about balance at the end of if. It has the look of an addendum, and the inclusion of a date (December 26, 1722) sort of confirms it. His journal entry for that date shows Edwards’ reference to an evening of suffering a headache the day before. Further, he expressed concern that he had lost progress as a result.
Earlier in the day on the 26, he added to the 37th resolution, committing to examination of self beyond just a daily reading of the resolutions. He committed to personal examination weekly, monthly, and yearly. That evening, he made the 33rd resolution (yes, it seems he did not make them in chronological order). I presume the addendum and the 33rd resolution were influenced by the aforementioned headache and he wanted to ensure he didn’t miss out on progress when he is suffering from life’s eminent distractions.
Overcoming Great Funks
Further study of his journal shows that Edwards was entrenched in a deep funk around this time. In addition to the headache on the 25th, his next entry on the 29th reads only, “About sunset this day, dull and lifeless.” The sentiment of his meanderings continually spirals from there through mid-February at the least. Throughout, he considers himself, detestable and a terrible vessel of God. He expresses regret at his inability to live to a higher standard, and leans into God for strength.
It’s no wonder, then, that at the beginning of this great funk, he’s looking for balance. And this is perhaps why it is so important that we have a good understanding of what balance is (Note: we covered the topic of balance in August during YLU17).
It’s pretty well-known that Edwards suffered from depression (termed “melancholy” at that time). He wasn’t alone. As Dan Ledwith points out in “Depression is Not a Disqualifier:
Martin Luther, Edwards, and Charles Spurgeon (dubbed “the prince of preachers”) were all giants in the Christian faith, and all struggled with depression. Having one does not disqualify you from being the other. That is important to know.
Yes, depression was a constant struggle throughout Edwards’ life. In addition, he often agonized over his afflictions and decisions. Even in the midst of that darkness, though, he tried to find God’s message or intention. He used that insight for spiritually improving himself.
It’s important to remember that – even when we are at war within ourselves – we can lean into God. Not only can we, but God invites us to do so! We too can seek out our God. To go to him, commune with him. And that is a truth, no matter our feelings or circumstances.
You see, it is in him, not of our own doing, that we find a true path to world peace.