We who are Christian people and also citizens of the United States need to lead our nation to find the tools, tactics, and vision to move the world away from violence toward peace. This action will hasten the realization that God's reign is among us. On that day, we will begin to live free of the fear that seeks security in military strength or repression of others. It will take courage, commitment, and self-sacrifice. It will take faith.

The military is not the problem, but it can serve to reflect the problem. We tend to rely so heavily on the ability to threaten violence or dominate opposition that we have lost the will and creativity to seek compelling, non-violent, avenues to peacemaking. We don't even know what the possibilities can be. But path of violence does not lead to peace. It only leads to more violence. As we worship and serve God, we need to hold that knowledge in our hearts together with the hope that God is faithful, that God's mercies never come to an end, and that they are new every morning.

We have to trust that God is neither our God nor their God, but the deep spirituality we experience in the face of an enemy who has become a friend. In that reality, we can sing and rejoice with integrity trusting that God is faithful and so very, very good. The making of peace is the way of living in God and is absolutely central to our journey following Jesus through life.

Making peace is central to following Jesus. Peace is more than the cessation of violence, but it clearly is the cessation of violence. Like Jesus, the process of making peace can require us to agitate, push, and even be irritating! Is it possible that being irritating can actually be a spiritual gift, a sign of God's presence? You bet it can! This is not an invitation just to be irritating. It's not always a spiritual gift! But think about the people who irritate you by speaking truth. What life gift might they be giving you?

If we don't find the message of Jesus irritating and the movement of the Spirit in our lives unsettling, then we are probably not really hearing it. The Spirit invites us to change, grow, and move outside our comfort zones. The Spirit invites us to take some risk, try on new behaviors, and expect more from ourselves. These changes may irritate us, but when we make them and move forward in our lives, people who are comfortable with us as we are might just find that irritating!

If churches today that are asking hard questions, reaching out to unsavory people, and being radically inclusive are not irritating other churches and the power structures of our society, then maybe their questions are not honest enough. Perhaps the powers are just not hearing or seeing what is going on. The Church will be irritating if it is being true to the one we follow. Jesus was irritating. He irritated the powers that were and the powers that still are. His example invites us today to be a prophetic voice and an irritating presence in our society. Jesus invites us to speak a prophetic word to the Church so that justice can begin to flow like rushing water around us.

We are called to envision and to create even when that challenges us. We are called to be honest and growing even when that irritates us. We are called to be dynamic and prophetic even when that means being irritating to others. Those irritations will be a blessing to us. We have the right and responsibility to claim the possibilities that are within us as a free people of faith. We are free to create a world of justice, peace, and inclusive love—free to make the new together.

Thanks for continuing to bless me as we journey together.

Jack Price
Today's reflections are brief excerpts from my book Finding Faith. I am seeking publication currently and will let you know when it will be available.

FYI - Jack has published several articles at: http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Jack_F_Price

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