Peace IS power! When Yoko Ono was spreading the idea of peace through her art, the United States was grappling with the Vietnam War and all of the passionate discourse, emotions and repercussions it set into motion. Ono invited people to imagine peace. She has continued promoting the idea that peace is power through exhibits, artwork and statements throughout her life. 

It is, of course, interesting to think about this phrase in terms of worldly peace. When a country is at peace, it holds and exhibits a certain power. I’ll let you think more about what this means politically and socially if you so desire and not take the time and energy to go that direction in this space. 

Instead, I’d like to consider what this means in a spiritual context. Perhaps the reason seeing those three words, “Peace is Power,” boldly proclaimed on that banner hanging on the Nobel Peace Center resonated with me so much was because I’d finished reading “Practicing the Way,” by John Mark Comer, just before flying to Europe. In one chapter, he wrote about this very same idea. Comer’s book is about the fact that we are all constantly being formed by the world around us. For disciples of Jesus, this means we need to be extremely intentional about establishing practices and rhythms that help us become like Him. We must carefully arrange our days, creating space to be with Jesus, become like Him and do as He does. 

In a chapter about the importance of establishing a focused and calculated rule of life that makes you more like Jesus, Comer discusses what a good rule will do for you. It will help you turn visions into reality, it will help you live at the right pace, it will help you balance freedom and discipline, and it will help you experience peace as you live in alignment with your deepest desires. Regarding this peace, Comer said: 

Saint Seraphim of Sarov once said, “Acquire inner peace and thousands around you will find their salvation.” We all crave this inner peace, but how do we “acquire” it? There’s no one answer to this question, but the business consultant Stephen Covey once said, “We achieve inner peace when our schedule aligns with our values.” Because our schedules are so often not aligned with our values, many of us live with this electric current of anxiety pulsing through our nervous systems all the time; it’s just there, nagging at us and draining our energy reserves. … To live a life of peace in the digital age will demand a kind of resistance.

Then, Comer went on to talk about setting a rule of life that defies the digital empire and instead reflects the deepest desires of your heart and God’s heart. Such helpful and practical wisdom! But it wasn’t necessarily that guidance that struck my heart most deeply from this particular page in the book. It was that simple quote from Saint Seraphim of Sarov! 

Acquire inner peace and thousands around you will find their salvation. 

Wow! What a thought. When you have God’s peace dwelling deep inside you, the potential impact of your witness to the world around you reaches new heights. So many people today are filled with frenzied anxiety, stress, hurriedness, emotional turmoil, depression and/or self-centered, flailing grasps at control. None of these signify inner peace. So just imagine… If you are a shining light, a beacon, of inner peace, how different you will look from anyone living in the kingdom of darkness! When you operate from a place of godly peace, you will stand out. You will attract the attention of the people around you, and they will surely begin to wonder what you have that they don’t. And there might begin, with the help of the Holy Spirit, someone’s journey toward salvation. 

If you find your heart pricked by this thought about the power of showcasing God’s peace to the troubled world, I encourage you to turn to the concordance in the back of your Bible and spend some time looking up verses throughout Scripture that talk about peace. Or search the internet for a list of such verses! The Bible is full of thought provoking words and wisdom about peace. Here are a few of my favorites:

• You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you. -Isaiah 26:3
• Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. -John 14:27
• Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. -Philippians 4:6-7
• Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. -Romans 5:1
• The Lord gives strength to his people; the Lord blesses his people with peace. -Psalm 29:11

Please do not underestimate the presence and influence of God’s peace that transcends all understanding, as Philippians says. Peace can set you apart! Peace can set the course of your days, allowing you to dictate a rhythm and alignment with Jesus. And perhaps most importantly of all, peace can preach to an unbelieving world. Peace is POWER.