An ancient fable:
A young boy from a royal family is next in line to be king. On the day he is crowned, the very day of his coronation, a trusted advisor to the throne approaches the young boy and asks, “What kind of king will you be? A king of war or a king of peace?
The wise young king pauses, then inquires, “Which will have the greatest impact on the people?
The advisor replies, “Both war and peace will have a significant impact on the people.” The young boy decides, “Then I shall be a king of peace, because peace is the ultimate goal.”
Luke 1:67-79 contains the first of fourteen references to peace in the gospel of Luke. In a passage often referred to as the Benedictus, this reading holds the beautiful words of Zechariah who is a proud father and a great man of faith.
Overwhelmed by the significance of his newborn son, Zechariah is filled with God’s spirit and proclaims that his son (known to us as John the Baptist) will direct people’s attention to the Messiah, Jesus Christ.
Zechariah says, “…by the tender mercy of God the dawn from on high will break upon us to give light to those who sit in the darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.”
The gospel of Luke reveals God’s peace: (Chapter 10) The disciples make it known that they are on a mission of peace. (Chapter 12) Jesus said, “I come to bring peace, not division.” (Chapter 19) Jesus suffered violence from those he offered peace.
Yet, after his crucifixion and resurrection, Jesus calmly appears to the disciples and says, “Peace be with you.”
Darkness and conflict, unrest and uncertainty. They are all around us. But these things pale in comparison to the reality of God’s tender mercy and God’s grace toward us through Jesus Christ.
Financial crisis, job losses and business downturns are casting an unwelcome share of darkness-conflict-unrest-uncertainly. In fact, the things we once leaned upon as “safe” and “secure” are proving themselves to be quite the opposite.
These words of Zechariah extend to an invitation to those who are seeking peace by directing us to the one who brings a peace that matters. When uncertainty lowers itself around us like a fog, the certainty of Christ reveals peace for us (Christ’s forgiveness, love, and the promise of eternal life) to which we respond with a new attitude, new behavior and new outlook that reflect Christ himself.
Zechariah’s hopeful words remain hopeful for us that “by the tender mercy of God the dawn from on high will break upon us to give light to those who sit in the darkness and in the shadow of death to guide our feet into the way of peace.”
Not a fable. But hope (and peace) we can believe in.
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The Rev. Ken Reed is pastor of Concordia Lutheran Church-ELCA in China Grove. E-mail him at kenreed10@ ctc.net.