Every Christmas we hear the ancient words of Isaiah:
For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
I’ve wondered a lot about that last phrase, never more that during this insane year. What could it possibly mean that Jesus steps into the chaos and angst and pain and division as “Prince of Peace”?
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The bible translates the Hebrew word shalom as “peace.” Our small group did a study on the word SHALOM. The bible translates the Hebrew word shalom as “peace,” and it’s fair to say SHALOM is one of those words that loses something in translation.
Peace, in USAmerican culture, tends to mean the absence of conflict. So I’ve always pictured the “Prince of Peace” bring a world in which there’s no confrontation, where we all just take a chill pill and relax.
Shalom carries a broader meaning. It’s more than the absence of conflict.
Shalom means wholeness. When we have shalom we work together to establish justice and righteousness. Shalom isn’t about individual responsibility, it’s about community wholeness and completeness and responsibility.
Jesus said, “Blessed are the peacemakers…”
He meant those who actively work toward the shalom over which He reigns. He meant those who work for justice, who seek to create unity rather than division.
Blessed are those who make shalom.