The Peace We Seek

I am sad today reading the news again........it seems like every time I've popped online to read the news about my country this year it has made me sad. So much hate, so much violence, so much finger pointing. It's hard to understand. 

Don't get me wrong. I'm deeply thankful to be an American. I grew up proud of my country and teared up every time I sang "God bless America". That thankfulness has only increased with age and especially with moving overseas. I had read about and heard about the freedoms that I possessed as an American growing up compared to other places. But I experience that disparity now on a daily basis. I live now in a different world where freedoms don't come as easily. I understand what blessing I have been given so much better than before. I have nothing but deep respect and admiration for all of those who have served our country and provided us with those freedoms sometimes at the expense of their own lives. 

Where I live (and I suspect in many other places), America has long been looked at as the land of hope and opportunity. People from my world do mostly anything they can to get into America for school or for living. That sentimate has been changing this year though, slowly but surely as the rest of the world is shaking their head at what we are becoming. Instead of looking at America with a bit of awe or hopeful curiosity, people are looking to us in disbelief and disgust. No matter their political leanings, no one can understand how a once great country like ours could be choosing between a psychotic narcissist and a corrupt political crony for the top position in the land. They ask me why all the time. I can't answer. I'm as baffled as they are. It seems impossible to me that out of all the Americans that exist we've chosen these two. They cant believe that we are again putting forth as a candidate the family member of someone who was already president. Aren't there other people with power or is it all just a few families they want to know. I'm not so sure...... And Trump??????? No one understand that. I can't even attempt to explain. I'm just embarrassed and sad. Really sad. 

And the violence......it's heartbreaking. Over and over again. The racism, the hatred, on all sides. That we continue to have this conversation in our melting pot of a nation where every race and language exists is confusing. We should be so much better than this. But racism is obviously alive and thriving.  That the response to that hatred is more hatred towards a community of people who put their life on the line to protect us is equally sad. There is corruption and evil in every walk of life, among every people group, in every nation on earth. The answer isn't to hate everyone and eye them all with suspicion and distrust. 

Working in the ER I met my share of police officers. They were our first line of defense. They were honest hard working family people who worked hard and didn't hesitate to put their lives on the line for us. I have nothing but respect for them. Growing up they were and still are my dad's friends and colleagues. When we are home in the summers they've been kind to my children and gracious to me. Living overseas where there isn't even the vague illusion that the men in blue are on your side gives you a whole new level of respect for the wonderful people who serve in our country. God bless our police force. 

Racism however is alive and well all over the world. Where I live it is common and goes in so many directions. The Chinese and the Japanese hate each other. That's all straight out of WWII history. There is a broad and general mistrust of anyone with darker skin than your own. That could be an ethnic minority, a South American, or an African. Doesn't really matter to them. In general the lighter your skin the better your experience. This year we made friends with a whole group of African college students from all over the continent of Africa: The Congo, Kenya, Nigeria...... It was enlightening and fun! Their experiences, their accents, their ambitions, and their backgrounds were vast. But one thing they all had in common was the racism they experienced on a daily basis. Ouch! That's hard. We love China, it's people and its culture. But we aren't immune to its struggles. I'm sorry my own country is still having those same problems. We can try to pretend it doesn't exist, or it's not our fault, but that's getting harder and harder to say if we are willing to be honest. We can do better, so much better. 

My kids have grown up about as internationally as is possible. Their earliest memories are of another country. They are bilingual. They love Asian food as much as American. They attend an international school. Their classmates and schoolmates are Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Brazilian, Norwegian, Russian, British, Australian, and so many more. They aren't afraid of other nationalities or cultures or languages.  But whoever says children are colorblind and we should just be like them, obviously doesn't have children. Children, just like us notice color and culture instantly. They know the difference between someone who looks and sounds like them and someone who doesn't. What they do with that information though is largely up to us. They will always gravitate towards people who are like themselves. It's easy, it's natural, it's our nature. But that doesn't mean that they can't be taught to love and appreciate differences. If you talk about and respect and value the differences between your family and others so will they. If you seek out friendships with people who don't look like you or sound like you then your kids will not be afraid to do the same. They will learn like you to embrace differences and learn from them. If you only look for easy friendships with people who look and sound like you, then don't be surprised when your kids do the same. It takes a little more work to reach out of your comfort zone and invite someone in when you will have to look harder for things to talk about, put thought into what they enjoy eating, and push your kids to interact. But the rewards that you get from pursuing those relationships will be deep and lasting. Nothing will change until we change. Racism will be alive and well in America until we put and end to it. That doesn't start in the political arena and it certainly doesn't start with a gun. It starts in your home. You go first. You teach your kids to be different by being different. You reach out and take the first step, extend your hand. 

It shouldn't surprise me that when I look in the direction of my home country, I don't see the peace, the hope, the love, or the joy that I ache for. It's only a flawed nation made up of sinners doing what they think is right in their own eyes, just like any other nation. It can't give us the peace we seek. That kind of peace is only found in one place. It's found in the Prince of Peace, Jesus. He told us so. Our world is broken, it's full of broken hurting people. The only answer, the only hope for us is Jesus. The healer. So when I look back home and shake my head in sadness and look around me and find nothing better, then I look up and see the one who gave his life to heal me and give me peace. In Him I find the rest that I seek and the hope that I crave. He offers forgiveness, healing, and peace to all of us regardless of our race, nationality, language, or economic status. He created us equal and loves us that way.  And I realize that the change that needs to happen is a change in me. I need Him to keep changing me from the inside out so that when people look at me they find something different. I hope they see in me a tiny glimpse of that hope, love, peace, and joy that we are all looking for. I hope I give it equally to everyone I meet regardless of race , economic status, culture, language, gender, or any other differentiation (God knows I still have work to do in that respect).  And I hope that if people manage to see that in me, that they realize it has nothing to do with me. I'm broken too. Anything good in me is all coming out of Him. 

John 16

33 I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” 

Ephesians 2

But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. 14 For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility 15 by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, 16 and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. 17 And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near. 18 For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. 19 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God.

Isaiah 32

And the effect of righteousness will be peace, 

and the result of righteousness, quietness and trust forever. 

 18  My people will abide in a peaceful habitation, 

in secure dwellings, and in quiet resting places. 

James 3

But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. 18 And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.