Chasing peace in a Walmart parking lot

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I waited in my grocery pickup spot at Walmart for twenty minutes. 

My grocery order was ready, according to the app. This was the grocery order that was supposed to have been ready three hours earlier. 

I watched as I waited. Angry people got out of their cars demanding groceries and answers. They didn’t want to spend their Saturday in the parking lot either. 

The winds were howling, things were swirling in the air, and all of us wished we were somewhere else, doing something else. Then my order arrived. 

The person in the car next to me jumped out and demanded to know why I was getting my order when they had pulled into their spot before I had pulled into mine. 

That’s when I noticed the face of the young man delivering my groceries.

Chase peace 

The young man was gripping the cart and had to lock the wheels because the wind was blowing it around. He tried to explain that my order had been scheduled for pickup three hours earlier and orders were running way behind that day. He was cursed at before the angry person pulled away. Quickly, two cars fought for the newly emptied spot next to me. 

I got lucky that day. I was as cranky as the person in the car next to me. I had better things to do with my day than wait for a bunch of groceries. 

Then I saw my own attitude acted out in front of me. 

And I saw the face of the young man, who wasn’t to blame, being blamed. 

I got lucky that day because God gave me a chance to change my attitude before I spoke. 

The young man quickly put the groceries in the back of my car, trying to get his job done, and go on to the next person. Out of all the angry people in that parking lot, he had the right to be the angriest. Instead, he looked beaten down. He had just been cursed at because he came to work that day. 

I got lucky because I was given the chance to change my attitude before it was my turn to speak. 

The Bible says, “So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding” (Romans 14:19). Christians aren’t told to wish for peace; we’re told to pursue it. 

You’ve heard the familiar saying, “You get what you look for.” God told us to chase after peace. Pursue those things that cause and create mutual upbuilding. 

Jesus said, “Blessed are the peacemakers” (Matthew 5:9, emphasis added). 

I wrote this blog post in my head as I drove home. 

Chase peace, not privilege 

The news this week is tough. 

Our country relaxed our attitudes and now COVID is once again the lead story. Last spring, they told us the fall months would bring a second wave. We shouldn’t be surprised, but we seem to be. Americans are used to our freedoms and used to doing and having what we think we deserve. 

The person in the car next to me thought she deserved her groceries first. I thought I deserved my groceries three hours before I got them. The young man hauling our food deserved our gratitude. None of us were getting what we deserved. 

Americans are a privileged people, and we chase our privileges. God’s word tells us to chase peace, not privilege. “Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord” (Hebrews 12:14). 

All of us sat in our comfortable cars, impatient because our grocery orders were delayed. Meanwhile, a young man pushed a cart in the wind and unloaded our food into our cars—and we thought we deserved something better. 

I looked at the young man’s face and realized he was doing his best and no one thought that was good enough. 

The next couple of months might seem like things aren’t good enough. The holidays are going to be different. The holidays this year should be different, if you want them to be safe. 

Are we chasing God’s peace for our present reality, or do we feel like we deserve something better?

Chase peace as a priority 

The highest priority for the next few months is to keep people safe until they can be vaccinated. All of us are tired of waiting. Some will get the vaccine first and others will be forced to wait. Everyone will need to “pursue peace,” but only some will. 

Today is a good day to make your choice. 

Jesus said, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God” (Matthew 5:9). God’s children are blessed when they make peace. Creating peace in this world is our Christian priority. 

Why is peacemaking our job? 

That question is answered by Jesus’ half brother, James, the same brother who probably argued with Jesus about his preaching in Mark 3. James later wrote that “a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace” (James 3:18). 

Christians are tasked with making peace, not wishing for it. Our blessing, our eternal reward, and our “harvest of righteousness” result from that priority. 

Are you peaceful and content with your blessings these days, or wishing for something more? 

Let’s not wait for a vaccine to bring us peace. Let’s pursue peace now. 

We are children of God, tasked with peacemaking. Our blessing will be a harvest of righteousness. 

Who will be right with God because we choose to pursue peace? 

Chase peace as an opportunity 

When I met the eyes of the young man loading my groceries, he quickly looked away. I think he thought I was going to complain about the long wait. 

Truthfully, if I hadn’t seen him get “cursed,” I might have missed an opportunity. 

Instead of venting about the inconvenience, I was able to speak some words of peace, gratitude, and compassion. I got lucky that day. I was given the opportunity to witness someone else’s sin so I could recognize my own. I was given the opportunity to serve the Lord’s purpose. 

When the young man’s eyes looked up again, I was able to see a tired smile and I was blessed. 

All of us have opportunities ahead, especially in the next couple of months. This is a good day to decide how we are going to “pursue peace” in a season that is about peace. 

We don’t pursue peace by hoping for it. 

We are called to “make peace” for the sake of others and for ourselves. 

When you chase peace, you chase God 

I will close this blog with the words Paul wrote to close his second letter to Corinth: “Finally, brothers, rejoice. Aim for restoration, comfort one another, agree with one another, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you” (2 Corinthians 13:11). 

The next few months are an opportunity. 

Let’s commit to being peacemakers in a culture that desperately needs peace. 

Paul reminds us that when we aim at peace, we are literally seeking the presence of God. 

Don’t hope for peace; make peace. “And the God of love and peace will be with you.” 

I lived Paul’s words while driving home with all my groceries. 

As it turned out, I didn’t have anything better to do that day.

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That First Fire of the Season

I peeked at the thermostat and shivered. It was 48 degrees on Saturday morning at Possum Kingdom Lake. So, I turned on the coffee and reached for the fireplace remote. A few minutes later, I sat quietly with my warm mug, watching the flames and enjoying every moment of the morning.

October was a blur. Travel always seems to do that. Those days in Israel were amazing, but sitting in my favorite spot at the lake was a great reminder that my life is abundantly blessed. It’s November and I have a lot to think about. A warm fire and a hot cup of coffee create a perfect setting for those thoughts.

I’ve always been an early riser, but my parents were up even earlier. Almost every winter morning, I would come down the hall and see my mom and dad sitting by the fireplace, drinking their coffee. I remember thinking, “One day, when I get married, I’m going to sit in front of the fireplace and drink coffee with my husband too.” That didn’t work out very well. Jim gets up earlier than I do. He finishes his daily article, posts it to send, podcasts the content, and then takes off for his morning walk. AND, he doesn’t even drink coffee! (That’s probably a good thing . . . I’ve often remarked that no one would want to try to keep up with Jim—after caffeine.)

That said, God has provided me a lot of mornings to sit quietly, alone with my thoughts, a good cup of coffee and a fire on cold winter days. It is during these moments that God is most likely to place a person on my mind who needs prayer or a quick email of encouragement. God often uses these moments to direct my thoughts to what I should teach, write, or say that week. I read different devotionals and emails, and I almost always read Jim’s article and Craig’s First 15. I’ve found that if I can have my morning moments, the rest of the day just seems to work better.

I’m picturing all of you today, reading this email after listening to the morning news. I’m sure the news reports are filled with election results and opinions about those results. Some of you are waiting on your kids to get downstairs so you can run them to school. Many of you are grabbing your cup of coffee in a commuter cup so you can drink it on the way to work. I encourage all of you to carve out some moments of quiet in your busy day. God made us to be still.

Scripture doesn’t suggest “Be still and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10). Scripture flat out commands it. I’ve often said that if we don’t find time to be still, other things will become a god to us. If work or family needs are more urgent than spending time with God, then work and family have become gods. The television, the computer, social media, and cell phones can all become gods if we take time to be still with them instead of the Creator of all things. God doesn’t demand we spend time with him. Instead, he taught us a result of spending time with him. We will know that he is God.

I’m grateful that you read this blog each week, and I hope you will continue. But, I want you to close the computer and be still with God as a result. He has so much to say to you, from the pages of your Bible and from the quiet thoughts the Holy Spirit will author as you take the time to be still with your Creator. Quiet is a powerful spiritual discipline. No wonder our world seems to get a bit noisier and a lot busier with each passing year.

Each year I write an Advent devotional for our ministry. I hope it will help you include a word about Christ into each day of your busy holiday season. The title of the devotional this year is Joy to Your World. Joy is an ongoing theme in the Christmas story and throughout Scripture. This year I rewrote Joy to Your World so that kids could have the devotional for themselves. That edition is available as well, offered from our ChristianParenting.org ministry.

If you would like to request a copy of either edition, we would love to send it to you. The children’s edition has a limited quantity, so don’t wait too long if you want that one. I hope these Advent devotionals will be a blessing to you and your families.

The quiet moments with God are the most important moments with God. I hope you will find some time to “be still” and embrace the joy of spending time with your heavenly Father. He adores you and wants nothing more than to fill those moments with his Presence.

I don’t sit by my fire with Jim in the mornings, but I don’t sit by my fire alone. Set your alarm, get the coffee ready to go, and crank up the fireplace if you have one. It just takes a little effort to be still, and God is waiting to make himself known to you in new and fresh ways. I wish you his great peace for today and the holiday months ahead.

Barbara Bush’s Genuine Pearls

A New York Times article called Barbara Bush “soft power in fake pearls.” Many of our nation’s first ladies have worn pearls, but none as famously as Mrs. Bush. In fact, her famous three-strand necklace is still sold by Kenneth J. Lane on his website. (I provided the link in case you are in the market!) The former first lady once teased that if she removed her pearls “her head would fall off.” She was wearing those pearls on the evening I had the privilege of shaking her hand. That was a BIG moment for me!

I like the message her three-layered strand of faux pearls said about her personality and character. She wore them to the inaugural ball in 1989 with a designer dress and an old pair of comfortable, inexpensive shoes. Her “ensemble” was a picture of who she chose to be as a first lady and as a person. She was more interested in having values than owning valuables.

A lot of things have been said about Barbara Bush since her death. But I have been most impressed with the things she said while she was living. As I read various quotes attributed to her, I realized I was reading genuine pearls of wisdom. Jesus told a parable about living life on earth for the sake of heaven. He said, “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it” (Matthew 13:45–46). In the ancient world, a pearl and the mother-of-pearl from the shell were highly esteemed for ornaments and decoration. In addition, the word pearl also symbolized wisdom of great value.

King Solomon said, “The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom, and whatever you get, get insight” (Proverbs 4:7). So, as a way of honoring the life of Barbara Bush, I wanted to share a few of Mrs. Bush’s “pearls of wisdom” and the biblical wisdom from her words.

Barbara Bush wanted to live life without regrets. She is most often quoted with these words: “At the end of your life, you will never regret not having passed one more test, not winning one more verdict and not closing one more deal. You will regret time not spent with a husband, a friend, a child, or a parent.” Romans 12:9–10 says, “Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.” In honor of Mrs. Bush, who could you spend some extra time with this week?

When Mrs. Bush lost her young daughter to leukemia, everything in her life gained a different perspective. She grew to understand more fully the blessings in life that matter most. She said, “When all the dust is settled and all the crowds are gone, the things that matter are faith, family and friends.” We have been inordinately blessed, and we know that.” The apostle Paul was at the end of his life when he told Timothy, “I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well. For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands, for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control” (2 Timothy 1:5–7). “Faith, family and friends” is a good list of the things that matter most.

At the end of her life, Barbara Bush said, “I know there is a great God, and I’m not worried.” Mrs. Bush had the gift of knowing that her life was coming to an end. I like to imagine her picking up her Bible to find strength, comfort, and encouragement for herself and her family. I imagine her reading Jesus’ words to his disciples when he said, “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.” (John 14:1–3). Mrs. Bush knew God, knew Jesus was her salvation, and knew heaven was her promise.

You might wonder if the quotes above were simply parts of a speech that had been written for her. How do we know that Mrs. Bush truly believed in what she told others? I read an interesting article written by one of her former Secret Service agents, Jonathan Wackrow. The article told several stories about Mrs. Bush that described her life as consistent with her words. I think those things were summed up in the last piece of information he gave. Mr. Wackrow said, “The United States Secret Service code name for Barbara Bush was ‘Tranquility.’ It exemplified her demeanor and its calming, humanizing and gentle effect on those around her. She will be forever missed.”

If Barbara Bush could say one more thing to us today, I think she would want us to know her most recent joy. As she walked through those gates of pearl and saw her daughter again, and all those other people she has loved, she also saw Jesus. If she could leave one more pearl of wisdom for this world, I think she would repeat the words of Paul and Silas when they told their Philippian jailer, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household” (Acts 16:31).

That knowledge is the truth about God’s kingdom and the genuine pearl of wisdom that is worth everything we have.

A Modern Parable of Success

Dan munched on his chicken sandwich as he watched the long lines of people waiting outside. His anger welled as his neighbors continued to leave their money in the hands of the undeserving. No one carried his banner. No one shouted in protest. One by one, each neighbor filed in and left their support for the message and the mess. Dan finished his lunch, lost in his grief, alone in his anger. Another storefront, another success—another reason to wave his fist at the truth. He ordered a milk shake and some more waffle fries, then scowled at the cow who wished him a good day. He finished his milkshake on the subway, threw the evidence away, and thought, “Maybe my words will change some minds.”

A parable is a story designed to teach a truth or a moral lesson. Today’s parable is based on a story in the New Yorker magazine. “Dan” wrote an article that is making lots of headlines and helping Chick-fil-A make a lot of extra sandwiches.

Dan Piepenbring titled his recent article Chick-fil-A’s Creepy Infiltration of New York City. The reporter is angry at the company because, in his words, “New York has taken to Chick-fil-A. One of the Manhattan locations estimates that it sells a sandwich every six seconds, and the company has announced plans to open as many as a dozen more storefronts in the city. And yet the brand’s arrival here feels like an infiltration, in no small part because of its pervasive Christian traditionalism.”

Dan Piepenbring doesn’t like much about Dan Cathy’s company. He wrote about the Bible verses that “adorn” the headquarters and pans the statue in the courtyard of Jesus washing his disciple’s feet. He mentioned the company’s motto, “Treat every person with honor, dignity, and respect,” as flawed because of Cathy’s stand for Christian family values.

But, here is the real point of the parable. Dan’s article was inspired while he sat in the new Chick-fil-A, eating his lunch. It was opening day for the new twelve-thousand-square-foot franchise, and he was waiting to see his fellow New Yorker’s protest the establishment. He wrote, “When the first stand-alone New York location opened, in 2015, a throng of protesters appeared. When a location opened in a Queens mall, in 2016, Mayor Bill de Blasio proposed a boycott. No such controversy greeted the opening of this newest outpost.” Dan had come to see his community protest Chick-fil-A and watched their support instead.

Here is what I hope the parable will mean to Christians. First, Chick-fil-A has stood for biblical values from the beginning. They have received a lot of criticism, a lot of protest, and suffered a lot of persecution from the anti-Christians in our culture. Now, they are one of the most successful fast-food chains in the country. What does their example say to all of God’s people about the power of God and his desire to bless a godly witness?

Second, as a Christian, how do you feel about Dan? I admit my first thoughts were not God’s. I felt victorious because Chick-fil-A was “winning.” I felt smug because Dan’s angry words didn’t stand up against the obvious success of the company’s expansion. And then I thought about Dan and went back to the parable to insert the sentence about him as “lost in his grief” and “alone in his anger.” That is the real point of the parable.

Chick-fil-A isn’t winning the war. It is simply a company doing its part to fight some battles. They are consistently providing the food people want even when those people disagree with their message. Is the same true for our lives?

It doesn’t matter that the “words” I write in this blog post are about God if the way I live my life in the world is not godly. Jesus said, “By this all people will know you are my disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:35 ESV).

Two chapters later, in John 15:18–21, Jesus teaches the real point of my parable. He said, “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the one who sent me.”

People like Dan misunderstand the ways of God. They are lost and alone, separated from the God who sent Jesus. And Jesus sends us today. Our words aren’t enough. The power of God is unleashed through our works which give credibility to our words.

Chick-fil-A’s story is a parable to all of God’s people today. We need to notice people like Dan, sit down at their table, and bravely share God’s love with him. A lot of people are lost and alone because they don’t know “the one” who sent Jesus so they could be saved. Who is Jesus going to send you to this week? Christian success, blessing, and probably some persecution will come from saying, “Here I am. Send me.”

The point of the parable: We have great food. Are we working as hard as Chick-fil-A to provide it?