shalom, salaam, peace part 3

This is an urgent topic. This group calls violent jihad the most “urgent topic.” While it is urgent – is it really the most urgent?

What about the global water and sanitation crisis that is killing millions every year – far more than violent jihad? What about the AIDS pandemic that is killing millions every year – far more than violent jihad? What about famine and hunger that is killing millions every year – far more than violent jihad? What about extreme poverty that forces over a billion people to live on less than a dollar a day?

Maybe the solution to violent jihad could be bound up in solving these very things. Colin Powell, a decorated United States General said, “The war against terror is bound up in the war against poverty.”

If we as Christians put our efforts into loving this world things may look a little different. If we are serving people with no strings attached will they really want to threaten us? If are giving the thirsty clean, cold water will they want us dead? If we are empowering women to care for the children, thus seeing a drastic reduction in the infant mortality rate, do we need clandestine evenings to speak about our security?

Much of this conversation is about being right, not being loving. Much of this conversation is about strength, not about being broken. Much of this conversation is about the God of Abraham being on one side or the other. But we cannot forget God is with us if we are with him, and he is a God of peace.

The Kingdom calls us to a difficult place. It calls us to give up our sense of entitlement to what we believe are our rights, and pursue the cause of peace. This does not mean roll over and accept our fate – it means actively loving our enemy. Feeding them, clothing them, caring for them as people – as we would a brother or a sister – as we would a fellow child of Abraham. Maybe in this we will find shalom, salaam, peace.