Let Peace Begin With Me

The world reels from the violence that we are committing and enduring on a daily basis. Paris, Beirut, Syria, Israel... the list goes on and on. But also our own streets here in the U.S., where people are dying of hunger and homelessness - that is also violence. Spousal and child abuse. Animal abuse. School shootings. Human-caused or influenced environmental disaster. I'll stop there; you get the idea. This is what humanity is doing to ourselves, to each other. Every day.

On Facebook, a rush of support for Paris flooded status updates and profile pics after the terrorist attacks were made known across the globe - much as the world offered support for the U.S. after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. But then came a backlash of posts and memes, including one that starts out "It is not Paris we should pray for." 

Okay, on one hand, I get it. We need to pray and act on behalf of the entire world, not just one city, because...see Para 1. But at the same time, I found the meme to be both insensitive and condescending in the assumption that somehow, if I was displaying my support for and prayers for Paris, I was... not praying for the rest of the world? An Islamophobe? An insensitive, fear-mongering racist? Um....

Maybe I should be more pissed off about a plain red cup?

Carmel macchiato with soy, no whip please.

Point is, someone is trying to make some kind of positive, supportive, thoughtful, even prayerful response to a devastating event, and all some people can do is rip them apart?

How about this, though. Let's halt the barrage of self-righteous, hateful name calling that has become a regular part of online expression and identity in the guise of "discussion." In fact, it ceases to be discussion, because to many it is an opportunity to puff up their egos and "win" at discourse. Which means, in other words, it's not really discourse, no matter how much people insist they are just trying to "engage." 

I know, I know, I've already posted about this topic before. But it seems more relevant than ever. People who claim they want peace, they want togetherness, they want some form of human decency to reign, yet they will call each other names and try to bury any perspective that is not their own "enlightened" one. Is that how we bring "peace on earth?" And understand me - I am calling out these behaviors, not condemning the people. 

"Let there be peace on Earth, and let it begin with me."  This means that I need to cultivate peace in my heart, as we all do. Maybe that means less online arguing and more doing something positive in our lives - either for our families, spouses, communities, or even ourselves. Instead of insisting "you're not praying/voting/thinking the right thing" we can instead volunteer our time to help the poor and the needy. We can lift a finger when we see a family member struggling just to get through a day. We can be still and listen when a friend needs to talk and be heard. These things, done in the real world, help bring about peace in our own hearts and in the hearts of others.

We can give ourselves the gift of peace by removing ourselves from the temptation to want to be "on top" or "win" or "prove ourselves right." There is real freedom in this. It is akin to "Blessed are the poor in spirit, theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven." Even if you're not a Christian, even if you don't believe in the Kingdom of Heaven, you can believe that when we step back from that temptation and engage in peace, we are creating a more loving world - even if just for a few moments in a limited locale.

SO... I'm gonna take my own advice here. I like being on Facebook because I enjoy being connected to family and friends so far away (it's what happens when you've lived in three countries and five states). But I am going to breathe a prayer-thought from now on when I see a meme that I consider ignorant, condescending, or hateful that starts my blood pumping a little faster, or when I see other people engaged in angry exchanges. 

I invite you to do something similar in your own world, whether it's Facebook, Thanksgiving with the extended family, a work place that is hostile, etc. We can reduce the toxicity of the world by creating and living peace in our smallest moments.