Peace, true peace, found in faith

An artist was commissioned to paint something that would depict peace. After a great deal of thought, the artist painted a beautiful country scene. There were green fields with cows standing in them, birds were flying in the blue sky and a lovely little village lay in a distant valley. The artist presented the picture, but there was a look of disappointment on the patron’s face. The man said to the artist, “This isn’t a picture of true peace. It isn’t right. Go back and try again.

The artist went back to his studio, thought for several hours about peace, then went to his canvas and began to paint. When he was finished, there on the canvas was a beautiful picture of a mother, holding a sleeping baby in her arms, smiling lovingly at the child. He thought, surely, this is true peace! But again, the patron refused the painting requesting the painter to try again.”

The artist was discouraged, tired and disappointed. Anger swelled inside him. Again, he thought; he even prayed for inspiration to paint a picture of true peace. Then, all of a sudden an idea came, he rushed to the canvas and began to paint as he had never painted before. When he finished, he hurried to the patron who studied it carefully for several minutes. The artist held his breath. Then the patron said, “Now this is a picture of true peace.” He accepted the painting, paid the artist and everyone was happy.

What was this picture of true peace?

The picture showed a stormy sea pounding against a cliff. The artist had captured the furry of the wind as it whipped black rain clouds which were laced with streaks of lightning. The sea was roaring in turmoil, waves churning, the dark sky filled with the power of the furious thunderstorm. In the middle of the picture, under a cliff, the artist had painted a small bird, safe and dry in her nest snuggled safely in the rocks. The bird was at peace amidst the storm that raged about her.

So many of us look for peace in this world. We look for the safe places where there is nothing that can disturb us. We look for peace thinking of it as an end to those things that disturb us — an absence of fear, conflict and turmoil. In Hebrew — peace — Shalom — is linked to the concept of wholeness, of being “at one” with God and with our neighbors — and ourselves, of having not only an absence of war but of having the causes of war — greed, hate, fear, injustice, intolerance and prejudices — eliminated, of having not only an absence of pain and distress.

Peace is found in living a life of faith. Peace is found in walking according to the words of Christ. Peace is found in trusting in the living God and in his everlasting love. The world is in turmoil; there is a great storm raging round us. But look to the good that is also all around us. And do the good. The peace of Christ is not simply a peace of huddling on the nest while the storm rages — it is a peace of knowing that when the storm is over, it is over forever, and all of creation will be at peace that can only come to us from God.

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Editor’s note: The Rev. Dr. Scott Stewart is pastor at Pea Ridge Central United Methodist Church and Brightwater Methodist Church. The views expressed are those of the author. He can be contacted at revjstewart@gmail.com or by phone at (479) 659-9519.