May 4

Two kinds of peace

“But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits” (James 3:17).
“He giveth quietness” (Job 34:29).

There is a peaceableness which comes before purity; and it is not beautiful. It is the gentleness of a shallow nature. There is all the difference in the world between the peace of an inland lake and the peace of the great sea. The one is calm because it is sheltered from the storm, the other because it has lulled the breeze to rest upon its bosom. Even so is it with the passions of the heart. There are lives among us which are only inland lakes. They roll not, they toss not; and yet we do not deem them beautiful. We feel that their peace has cost them no struggle; they are calm because they cannot help it. But there are other lives which are like the great sea. Theirs is not the peace of passionlessness, but of passion—of that purity called love.
—George Matheson.

I have a treasure which I prize;
The like I cannot find;
There’s nothing like it in the earth:
It is a quiet mind.

But ’tis not that I’m stupefied,
Or senseless, dull, or blind;
’Tis God’s own peace within my soul
Which forms my quiet mind.

My Savior’s death and risen life
To give this were designed;
And that’s the root and that’s the branch
Of this, my quiet mind.

It was into the real world that Christ came, and He comes to us, not to snatch us away by some miracle from the conflict of life, but to give us His peace in our hearts, whereby we may be calmly steadfast while the conflict rages, and be able to bring to the torn world the healing of that peace.
—William Temple.

Read full article...