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What Is Peace?

S.E. Fairbanks
3 min readOct 5, 2024

Peace begins with us — one person, one action at a time.

Photo by Humphrey Muleba on Unsplash

“What is peace?” What feelings or images does this question evoke? For some, it may conjure up idyllic scenes of tranquility and serenity, where gentle breezes rustle through lush green trees and sunlight filters through the leaves. For others, it might prompt thoughts of conflict-free environments, like the home of Beaver Cleaver before Eddie Haskell arrives uninvited. Many would define peace as the absence of disturbance.

The Biblical concept of peace, rooted in an understanding of shalom, comes from the Hebrew tradition. The meaning of shalom is wide-spread, encompassing more than just the absence of conflict. Shalom signifies well-being, wholeness, right relationships, and justice for all. It is rooted in the ancient vision of Eden — where perfect peace existed — and reflects our aspirations for a future where heaven and earth are restored to that perfect shalom once more. As human beings, we embody grace, truth, mercy, pure intentions, and love for everyone. Shalom is our hope, both individual and communal, impacting personal and societal dimensions.

As we navigate through life, we frequently encounter situations that require us to be either peacekeepers or peacemakers. However, the peace Jesus speaks of is not merely maintaining harmony for decorum or avoiding conflicts. Instead, it is about actively…

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S.E. Fairbanks
S.E. Fairbanks

Written by S.E. Fairbanks

If I must err, let it be in the direction of love. I am a man in process of being perfected in love and growing in Christlikenes. DoEverythingInLove.com

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