Once again violence shakes the nation, and we wonder what will secure peace. Sadly, we are part of a fallen world and short of glory, there will always be hatred and racism and violence. In the vacuum created by a lack of political will, the nation seems to think that the killing is inevitable. We look for emergency exits; we walk our kids through active shooter drills. We are sad, angry and feel powerless. 

But remember that peace — that deep sense of harmony, wholeness, and healths even in the midst of chaos — is a choice. We achieve it by fixing our attention on God, choosing thankful prayer over wringing our hands in worry and despair. We choose to put on the shoes of peace and walk in them. 

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Phil 4:6-7 

God can settle our hearts. But our circumstances may be slow to change. Political action takes time. Forging a coalition takes time. Personally, I am so angry about continued gun violence that I am ready to storm the Capitol. 

But in truth, it should not begin or end there.

Active, love-your-neighbor kind of peace means reaching out to the disaffected, the disenfranchised, the lonely and isolated. 

It means speaking up for people who have become targets of hate. It means acknowledging the person who feels invisible and who might use a gun to feel seen. It means giving young men a sense of purpose and belonging. It means making sure our kids aren’t falling down the Internet rabbit hole. 

This walk models peace in daily interactions. It means being a person who demonstrates that love, and with it peace, is possible. 

We all have a role to play. So lace up those shoes of peace.

We have work to do.