"I give you peace, not as the world gives..." John 14:27
Near the beginning of World War II, Evelyn Underhill wrote a short "Meditation on Peace". She reflected on how peace should so permeate a life that it not only helps to deal with pain and evil, but that it also should bring redeeming qualities to a world spiraling down toward destruction. This easily was a topic on Underhill's radar for three reasons: her faith, the loss of at least two cousins to war and her stance on pacifism.
Underhill begins with a definition of "Peace" in the following statement:
"Joy, the spirit of selfless delight, and Peace, the spirit of tranquil acceptance, are the first-fruits of the Eternal Charity
received into the soul of man." (Evelyn Underhill, "A Meditation on Peace" 199)
It was Underhill's conviction, as a Christian, that peace was granted alone by God, that it had an "unearthly joy" about it and that it was rooted in the kind of love that only God could offer. It seems that anyone who finds themselves in this true place of place can never be disturbed by any outward condition or conflict. But, it is important to distinguish between the peace that the world gives and the peace that Jesus gives.
"The "peace which is from above" means a tranquil and selfless delight in God's splendour [sic], a share in His widely
tolerant attitude , and trust in His ultimate triumph..." (Underhill, p.200)
The "peace" that Jesus gives is specifically concerned with His desire and His choice. This all sounds like great spiritual talk until we understand the cost this type of peace incurs. If the peace is given by Him and is meant to function with His desires in mind, then the peace we strive for is not just for our own freedom from conflict. There are plenty of stickers on the backs of cars that strive for "peace", the kind of "peace" that would get everybody off of each other's backs. Words like tolerance and co-existence show the kind of "peace" that this world offers, "freedom from disturbance". However, peace for the Christian is much more than a perspective, an idealogy or a conflict free life.
"We, then, are called to renounce hostile attitudes and hostile thoughts towards even our most disconcerting fellow
sinners; to feel as great a pity for those who go wrong as for their victims, to show an equal generosity to the just and
the unjust..." (Underhill, 200)
As stated earlier, Underhill writes this with the onset of war and the rise of one of the most evil characters in our history, Hitler. She writes about peace with REDEMPTION in mind. Redemption is what seems to be missing in the world's definition of "peace". The Biblical call starts with God and His charitable action toward His creation. He loves what he created and if He loves it, we too must love it, even when the most unlovable qualities try to convince us otherwise.
Redemption isn't a word that we use a lot. It is the very thing that Christ came to do for us by going to the cross. Redemption is bringing value to something that has lost that value. This is why Underhill, in her reflection on peace, calls for believers to renounce hostility. Peace is the call to help make things go right where they have gone wrong. The catch is not to make them right as we so desire, but to make things right as God had intended. Consequently, most of the time it's costly.
"Peace not as the world giveth: the inward tranquility of a mind that looks beyond anxiety and conflict; is ready for
anything, even destruction itself, belinging all, hoping all, trusting all. A peace which never quite loses the objective
unearthly joy in God's action and the privilege of being caught up into that action, whatever the cost may be."
(Underhill, 201)
For the believer, the true test comes when:
"...this peace must be matched against the world's contradictions and cruelties, troubles, evils and assaults: when we
must be peaceful, not in contrast to the warlike, but with the warlike, showing to their victims a compassion which is
without anger & bitterness, and bearing in tranquility the awful weight of the world's bewilderment, suffering and sin."
(Underhill, 201-202)
It is then that we realize whether our peace comes from above or from the world. There is a need to bring redemption to the chaos that goes on in this world. The question is whether this is the kind of peace that you and I desire. The peace from above is costly, not easy, hardly just freedom from disturbance. What do you think?
*All excerpts are from "Evelyn Underhill: Modern Guide to the Ancient Quest for the Holy" Edited by Dana Greene.