The Price Of Peace

16 May

“Five great enemies to peace inhabit with us:  avarice, ambition, envy, anger, and pride.  If those enemies were to be banished, we should infallibly enjoy perpetual peace.” ~Francesco Petrarch

We call Christ the Prince of Peace.  We wish peace upon other people.  We long for peace.  We lament the absence of peace.  Yet, we often do not realize that peace has not had an opportunity to take a hold in our world because peace has not taken a hold in our own lives.

In the 1300’s, Francesco Petrach, the Italian poet and Father of Humanism, made the observation that we are the very obstacle to the peace that we seek because of what lies within each and every one of us.

It does no good to hope for peace if we are not willing to root out the things that block peace from coming about.  If we are not willing to root out anger, ambition, avarice, envy, or pride, we should not expect to see any change in our world.  Whatever change we do see would be short-lived because, if it still abides in us, we will reintroduce it into our world.

If we long for peace, we must be people who live in peace.  In order to live in peace, we must be willing to root out the causes of unrest in our very lives, our very souls.

Christ is the Prince of Peace because He lived completely for others.  There was nothing in His life that would hinder Him from accepting God’s will, even if that will led Him to Calvary and death.

As humans, we talk a good game.  Are we willing to live as we speak?  The price of peace can be very high if we value too many other things.  If we are willing to let go of the things that hinder peace, though, the price is well worth it.

FAITH ACTION:  Review your life and see if anger, ambition, avarice, envy, or pride have any place in your life.  If so, plan ways to change.