Luke 2:14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
Christmas is the time of year when people from all walks of life and all religious persuasions like to talk about “peace on earth.” For some it becomes an all-consuming political passion that goes with them throughout the year. Still, it’s Christmas time that you’ll see greeting cards, ads and TV commercials proclaiming “Peace on Earth.”
The sad part about all this is that for most people it’s only a pipe-dream; a vague hope for something other than the way we currently see the world. That’s too bad for any number of reasons. And while I won’t pretend that I have the simple answer for peace on earth, I will tell you that Luke 2:14 holds the actual answer that the world is looking for. Sadly, it will never receive it for the very same reason that the vast majority of mankind refuse to receive Christ.
The answer to man’s dilemma is actually quite simple which is why men will never embrace it en masse. It will require us to let go of our self-righteous attempts to bring on this “peace” through our own efforts. It will require us to recognize and acknowledge that man will never reach this utopian “peace” on our own due to our own notions of what’s right and wrong and by extension who is “right” and who is “wrong.” What it will require is for each one of us to surrender ourselves – body, mind, soul, spirit and will – to Almighty God through Jesus Christ so that He – Almighty God -- receives glory in the highest. And that’s something that most people will not do. Why? Pride; plain, simple and ugly.
For all the talk about love, peace, tolerance, etc., the simple fact is that most of the people who talk about these things are very intolerant of anyone who disagrees with them. Don’t believe me or maybe you’re one of these “tolerant” individuals? Let’s just take a quick look at John 14:6: “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”
Jesus said that no one can come to the Father (and ultimately Heaven) except through Jesus Christ Himself. Jesus leaves no “wiggle room” in that statement for any other way to Heaven. He states clearly that man is incapable of saving himself from the tribulations of this world along with his/her sin condition. And that’s a message that will not, can not be tolerated by those who profess to be loving and tolerant.
How sad it is that the answer is so simple and people simply refuse to accept it, preferring to hang onto their own ideas of how to reach this peace apart from God, as if that’s even possible. But if you can’t love those whom you can see whether “friend” or “foe” how can you claim to love God whom you haven’t seen (1 John 4:20)?
If you really want to see peace on earth and good will toward men, then give glory to God in the highest by receiving the Gift He gave to mankind, all mankind, through His beloved Son, Jesus Christ. You’ll know the Peace that will last for all eternity!
Merry Christmas!