It is an amazing and inspiring story. Somehow the Christmas Carol Silent Night has gotten the credit in some accounts to being the song that started it all. Other accounts speak of German soldiers yelling across the short distance between trenches offering the truce. There are other tales of how it began as well, and perhaps they are all true since it was so widespread that it didn't start or end at the same time. But in each pocket of peace that sprang up, one thing is the same and is true.
Men who had been killing each other mere minutes before stopped, and in each and every case someone had to stop shooting first. Someone had to make the offer. Someone had to make themselves vulnerable and expose themselves to danger to see if the peace would be accepted. Then someone had to respond to that vulnerability peacefully to show that it was real before others followed suit. In one documented case, after offering the truce, German officers climbed out of the trenches and stood in the open. British officers followed suit, but everyone was still hesitant and a bit suspicious. Then an Irish soldier climbed out of a trench, marched deliberately across No Man's Land to the German trenches where he was greeted warmly and given a cigar. At that point the peace was accepted by all on both sides in that area.
This tale is more than one of a Christmas miracle. It is an object lesson. Whether it is Christmas time or any time of the year, someone must choose peace for it to break out. The love of God and walking in the Spirit produce peace within us and can give us peace with one another, but not without us choosing it. That neighbor who is always rude, that jerk in Wal-Mart who stole your cart and took the last BB-8 Bluetooth controlled droid or something, that family member that you've been feuding with for years and who makes you hate reunions and holidays, that critical person who always cuts you down, points out your every shortcoming and never lets you forget your past...Oh goodness I could go on... The crazy, contrary and rude that make peace on earth and goodwill between people so difficult and such a miracle; we can actually have peace with them. All of them.
But it takes a choice. We have to choose peace. So what does choosing peace look like? How do we do that? First it is making a choice to obey and walk within the will of God. Huh? Love your enemies. Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who despitefully use you, tick you off and treat you as though you have no value. Speaking of value, remember that your worth is determined by the love God has for you and not the acceptance or treatment of or from other people. Check your reactions. When they shoot at you, don't shoot back. Bless, pray or at least ignore. Return evil with good. Forgive. Forgive. Forgive again and again, as many times as bitterness, resentment and anger begin to rise up, forgive.
It takes at least two to wage war. We don't have to participate. We don't have to retaliate or escalate the drama. We can love. We can make ourselves vulnerable and trust God to protect and heal what our willingness to love and offer peace gets hurt. We can be the ones who make peace possible as ambassadors to the glory, power and way of life of the Prince of Peace we claim to serve. It's not about demanding the other side conform or change their behavior. It's about climbing out of the trench and saying I'm going to walk in love, as Jesus demonstrated and commanded, and even if you shoot at me, I'm not going to shoot back. I'll give you an easy target to show I'm serious, but I am offering peace if you will take it. Even if they don't, you have walked with God, demonstrated the peace that He provides, and kept your side of the street clean and beautifully lit. Sometimes it takes time for them to see that this is real, that you're really not defending yourself or firing back but loving them. Peace may come slowly.
Regardless of anyone else's actions or responses, this Christmas season and in the days to come, let us walk with love and peace, let us react to others as Jesus did, let us reach the place where we have ceased fighting with anyone. Let us choose peace. Let us not wait on others to treat us right and nice to return the love, but rather let us make the offer, through our actions, our love and our vulnerability, that peace is an option no matter how serious the war has been.
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| "British and German Soldiers Arm-in-Arm Exchanging Headgear: A Christmas Truce between Opposing Trenches," taken from from the Illustrated London News of January 9, 1915 (A. C. Michael - The Guardian/CC) |
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