“For he is our peace; in his flesh he has made both into one and has broken down the dividing wall, that is, the hostility between us,” -Ephesians 2:14 NRSVUE
Last week, I had the opportunity to speak with the Tuesday Morning Men’s Bible Study, and we talked about the meaning of shalom. We had such a great conversation I thought I would share it with you all as well. In the Old Testament, that word means so much more than what we usually think of as peace. It means wholeness, completeness, restoration. Job could say his tents were in shalom because nothing was missing (Job 5:24). David asked about his brothers’ shalom while they were at war (1 Samuel 17:22–23). Shalom isn’t just calm feelings, safety, or the absence of violence, it’s a life made whole!
Isaiah longed for the day when a ruler, the Prince of Peace, would come to bring unending shalom(Isaiah 9:6–7). When Jesus was born, the angels announced his arrival as the coming of eirene, peace in Greek (Luke 2:14). Jesus told his disciples, “My peace I give to you” (John 14:27). Through his life, death, and resurrection, he reconciled us to God and tore down the barriers of hostility that keep people apart.
This kind of peace isn’t passive. It’s active. Paul urged the church to hold unity together with humility, gentleness, patience, and love. Shalom takes effort, it means restoring what’s broken, healing what’s divided, reconciling what’s been estranged.
And yet, we know how far our world is from this peace. Every day we’re faced with mass shootings, political violence, and language that dehumanizes and divides. In the past decade, injuries and deaths from shootings have surged. Leaders and everyday people alike have been targeted with hostility. As Rev. Gary Mason reminds us, “Dehumanization precedes genocide.” When we demonize others, we plant seeds that destroy peace.
Our calling as Christians is clear: not to pull back in despair, not to join in the rhetoric of division, but to live as peacemakers. To carry Christ’s shalom into our homes, our communities, and our public life. To ask not only what’s broken but also how can we help restore this world?
Prayer:
Prince of Peace, our world is fractured, and too often our words and actions add to the division. Forgive us for the times we’ve demonized others or turned away from what is broken. Teach us your way of peace. Make us people of shalom, humble, gentle, patient, and loving. Heal our communities, our nation, and our world, through Christ our Peace.
Amen.