Is Peace Possible?

I once had a dream about peace in the world. In the dream, I am discussing the concept of whether or not true peace is even possible in the world with two other men. In the course of the discussion, we conclude that true peace has never been experienced or sustained in our world, and for that matter, sustained within any one family that we know of. Conflict is an ever-present companion to all societies. The natural question that occurs among us is that most difficult and persistent of all questions, "Why?"

After further discussion, our small group of three boiled the possible answers down to two possibilities. We have not achieved peace because either, We do not truly desire peace, or We are simply incapable of achieving peace.

One of our group advocated the first possible answer as the correct one. The second of our group could not decide and so served as a mediator of sorts. I proposed the answer was that the human race was simply incapable of achieving peace.

Advocate one for proposition one stated his reasoning as follows. The failure to accomplish peace means that humanity does not really desire peace. We may declare that we do desire it, but we are just fooling ourselves. He suggests the fact that we do not have a universal definition of peace is evidence that we do not desire it. If we did desire peace truly, we would strive much harder to find a definition for peace that all could agree upon. Examples of such inconsistent definitions include those who believe that peace is only possible with submission to their group's authority versus those who believe that peace is simply the absence of physical conflict. Others would more radically define peace as the absence of all physical and even psychological conflict. If humanity would come together and define peace clearly and consistently, then we could achieve it. The hypothesis is that we just do not want peace bad enough to work at it with all we've got.

My conclusion was that the failure to accomplish peace is because we are incapable of doing so. No matter how differently the concept may be defined among various groups, it seems evident that most people do desire peace. In addition, the fact that humanity has continued to attempt to reach peace despite our history of war, is evidence that the desire for peace is present within us. A prime example is the present stalled peace talks that the president is in Israel to try to revive. These parties have been at war in one fashion or another for thousands of years. If these two did not desire peace, there would seem no motivation to keep talking. This has been the case throughout history with every people group on earth, and no matter the heartfelt desire for peace, it is as ephemeral as ever. The very fact that we have not given peace a universally agreed upon definition, at least to how we can or should achieve it, after millennia of trying seems to me to support the conclusion that we are incapable of doing so. Furthermore it seems to bolster the conclusion that we will never be capable of doing so.

Of course, since it was my dream, I won the debate. However, a further question is raised in light of my conclusion, assuming it is indeed correct. The question is, "Is there therefore any hope of peace in the world whatsoever?" The answer is both no, and yes. No, there is no hope of peace in the world as we now know it. Yes, there is hope for peace but it must come from some other source than humanity. The source of peace is the only true giver of peace, God Almighty. Only when we turn to Him, through Christ, is peace available on a personal level, and future peace for all who trust Him will come to pass. It is my hope and prayer that each of you will truly find peace through Jesus by turning your heart over to Him.


IJHN

LEE