An Instrument Of Peace
An Instrument Of Peace
Many of us have heard the prayer of St Francis. For me, it was in my very early years. It made such an impact on me that throughout my life when I come across the prayer regardless of the location or time, I am compelled to pause and in my heart recite the words and ask God for the grace and ability to make me an instrument of His peace.
It has always triggered emotion for me.
“Lord, make me an instrument of your peace,
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
where there is sadness, joy;
Oh Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console;
to be understood as to understand;
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive;
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.”
Prayer of St Francis
In this fast and furious world, one filled with turmoil, ambition, and emotion often we shoot up “quickie” prayers to God asking Him to bless our day, our plans; give us favor and protection. Sometimes we are courageous enough to pray your will God, not mine. God give us but…we all know where that goes. It’s about us and we need to pray those prayers, we really do. In those prayers, we are centering our hearts on God in what we do in our day.
BUT, what if we asked God to go further?
What if we were to lay down our inclinations to focus on us and determine it is about Him; God and those He loves so much, which includes all of us.
This is not to say we should quit our jobs, although some might; or give up our career goals, although some might. Or even give up our life goals; although some might. It is to say in all these things if we would ask God to make us an instrument of peace, of change for those around us…can we consider the difference it would make?
We all have a purpose for our life, a God-given purpose. The question then becomes how we go about it. That is up to us. Regardless of our profession, industry, school, community, or home, we need to be the best we are able to be. Our attitude, our demeanor, the way we do our job. This determines how we impact those around us.
It is not what we do for a profession that impacts people, positively or negatively. It’s the focus of our hearts that determines everything. When we are focused on power, lust, greed or success at any price we leave damaged and broken people all around us. When we find success in our school or career but have a heart set on God or His mercy and grace we bring hope. When we ask God to make us an instrument of peace as in the entire Prayer of St. Francis we bring healing, comfort, love.
We change lives; theirs and ours. We can and should be excellent in all we do. That is a fact. But excellence strengthened by peace, love, pardon, faith, hope, light, consoling, understanding, and love, now that is real power; power to change others’ lives and our own. For the reality is in giving that we receive, it is in forgiving that we are forgiven, and it is in dying (and getting God’s focus) that we are born to eternal life.
We are encouraged in the Old Testament and the New Testament to reach out in passion and love to those around us. Bringing peace is even more specific. Isaiah speaks about the Spirit of the Lord God is upon him; as Jesus followers, the same Spirit is upon us.
This is what Isaiah says:
“The Spirit of the Lord God is on me, because the Lord has chosen me to bring good news to poor people. He has sent me to heal those with a sad heart. He has sent me to tell those who are being held and those in prison that they can go free. He has sent me to tell about the year of the Lord’s favor, and the day our God will bring punishment. He has sent me to comfort all who are filled with sorrow. To those who have sorrow in Zion I will give them a crown of beauty instead of ashes. I will give them the oil of joy instead of sorrow, and a spirit of praise instead of a spirit of no hope. Then they will be called oaks that are right with God, planted by the Lord, that He may be honored. They will build the cities again that were destroyed long ago. They will raise up what had been torn down, and will build the cities that were destroyed, and have lain waste through the years of many families and their children’s children.”
Isaiah 61:1-4 NLV (New Life Version)
There is healing in their land because of the anointing of the Lord to bring good news and to bind up the broken-hearted. That is what happens when we focus on who we are as Jesus followers rather than simply what we do for a living.Vines But we ask how. How can we still maintain our goals in our lives and put others first? Great question. The key: where is our heart?
It’s our attitude. It’s all about where we lean; God-Man.
Paul gives the Colossians and us this encouragement:
“Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”
Colossians 3:12-17 ESV
It is not what we do for a profession or accomplishments that define us. Its where our heart is dedicated that defines us, it will determine how we do what we do. Do we bring discontent, division, and destruction or healing, strength, and peace to those we meet?
You see the choice is ours. So today, read the prayer of St. Francis, the words of Isaiah or of Paul and examine your heart. Are we willing to make these words part of our everyday life; whether work, school, home or community?
