Saturday evening, my wife and I had the opportunity to visit some friends who live on a big farm outside of town. When we pulled up to their house, one of the first things I noticed the moment I stepped out of the car was the general lack of noise. Gone was the background hum of the interstate highway, no cars honking, no lawn mowers buzzing, no cell phones ringing. The crunch of gravel under my feet sounded unusually loud in my ears as we walked towards the house.
Later on, as our hosts gave us a tour of the beautiful property, I felt myself becoming more relaxed, starting to unwind a bit. I felt tension begin to melt away as I walked along the footpath through rolling hills down to the pond. Now I’m a nature-guy for sure – so of course I love being out in the countryside, but I normally go outdoors for adventure, not for rest.
Hiking for exercise, couch for relaxation.
Driving home (back into town) that night I got to thinking about how healthy it was for us to visit a place so peaceful. Being in a peaceful place made me a more peaceful person. If I brought some of that peacefulness back with me, would it spread to my household, my friends, my neighborhood?
Most of us would agree that peace is not just the absence of conflict but the presence of … something else. Where does peace come from? I’ve been in plenty of places that are conflict-free, but they feel very different from places of peace. You know what I’m talking about. It’s difficult to describe, but there’s no mistaking it when you’re there.
So how can peace advance? What can we do to bring peace to our families, friends, neighborhoods, churches, schools, and cities?
