Becoming People of Peace Starts with You (and Me)

Since the events in Newtown, CT, last year, I have been praying for an end to gun violence. This post is a little bit about that, but mostly not. (Just in case you're sick to death of the topic. I promise also to spare you the infographics, statistics, etc.)

Yesterday, I read a story about the first American killed this year by a gun. He was about to graduate college when he died--and so the promise of his future years are now lost to us.

I found it via Facebook and read a handful of comments that were hate-filled and fear-filled -- from both sides.

From both sides.

The article and the comments made me realize that the insane rate of gun-related deaths would not be fixed by legislation alone (although I believe still necessary) or by fixing the mental health system, but the problem stemmed from the inability of seeing anyone other than oneself as a human being.

Oneself? I remembered a conversation from last night.

My husband shared that some people thought that the part of Satan in the Bible mini-series on The History Channel had been cast to look like our President.  (I kid you not.)

I rolled my eyes, both at the old oppressive stereotypes still being used and because "People are stupid."

Oneself? I needed to change my heart too. I have become caught up in the polarization that is endemic in the U.S.

And I thought I accorded dignity to every human being.

"Why aren't you mincing the garlic? It's easier," asks my husband while I chop vegetables for dinner.
Munich gargoyle

"Because the recipe calls for chopped, that's why," I snapped.

Oneself? I need to change my heart too.

I apologize later, explaining that dinner was running late and I hadn't wanted to get caught up in that expectation but had anyway.

You and I, we need to stop seeing people as the Other, and start seeing people as Beloved.

It's a process where we will fall down and get back up again over and over, letting a little more love into our hearts each time. 

It's only through trying, and prayer, and mindfulness and, most of all, by the grace of God that we will become a people of peace. To do that, we need to see others as God sees them. The God who loves each and every one of us. It's a challenge, but it's one we've been asked to take on since Jesus walked the earth.


How do you see people as other? How could you change that view?

Linking up with Jennifer's #TellHisStory


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