THE SET UP: On April 12, 1963, Martin Luther King, Jr. was arrested for a series of protests and marches against segregation in Birmingham, Alabama. While sitting in his cell, King wrote one of my favorite works of American literature: “A Letter From Birmingham Jail.”
The campaign of protests that King led raised concerns with eight white religious leaders in the South. They criticized his methods, saying that his actions in Birmingham were “unwise and untimely,” and essentially telling him he was an outsider who had no business in Alabama because he was from Atlanta. His letter is a response to these religious leaders and describes the different types of peace: negative peace and positive peace.
I think King’s letter should be read in full because there are so many good thoughts about nonviolent protests and civil disobedience (you can read it here), but this quote sums it up nicely:
“I have almost reached the regrettable conclusion that the Negro's great stumbling block in the stride toward freedom is not the White Citizens Councillor or the Ku Klux Klanner but the white moderate who is more devoted to order than to justice; who prefers a negative peace which is the absence of tension to a positive peace which is the presence of justice; who constantly says, "I agree with you in the goal you seek, but I can't agree with your methods of direct action"; who paternalistically feels that he can set the timetable for another man's freedom; who lives by the myth of time; and who constantly advises the Negro to wait until a "more convenient season." Shallow understanding from people of goodwill is more frustrating than absolute misunderstanding from people of ill will. Lukewarm acceptance is much more bewildering than outright rejection.”
You see, we often mistake the absence of conflict for peace. While that is partly true, it’s not the whole story. True peace doesn’t just mean there isn’t any conflict or tension; true peace means that there is justice. The conflict isn’t just gone; it’s been resolved.
How many times have we ignored a conflict in order to have peace? We decide not to have that hard conversation because we don’t want to deal with the potential fallout. We choose not to stand up for what is right because we don’t want to rock the boat. When those are our decisions, things may appear peaceful, but did we really achieve peace?
One of Jesus’ titles is the Prince of Peace. This is absolutely true, but not because He sat down with everyone and sang “Kumbaya.” If you read the accounts of Jesus’ life on earth, you’ll see just what a troublemaker He was. That almost feels blasphemous to say, but He truly was a holy troublemaker of the best kind. He disobeyed hundreds of years of religious tradition and rules; He overturned tables; He spent time with those who were cast aside by society.
Jesus Himself said that He didn’t come to bring peace (Matthew 10:34), but what He’s referring to is what Dr. King calls negative peace. Jesus didn’t come to earth to ignore our pain and suffering and cover everything with a “happily ever after,” but to bring justice that would right all wrongs. He came to lay the groundwork for positive peace, the peace that will come one day when He returns and removes all of the conflicts that have plagued us since Adam and Eve rejected God’s command.
As we think about the peacefully sleeping baby boy born in a manger so long ago, may we remember that He grew up to conquer death and will one day return as the Almighty King. When we remember God’s humble coming as a human baby, may we also rejoice in the promise that one day we will live in perfect, true peace with Him when He returns to right all wrongs.
PASSAGES TO READ: Matthew 10:5-39
REFLECTION QUESTIONS:
How would you describe the difference between negative peace and positive peace?
Has there ever been a time you opted to leave a conflict unresolved so that you didn’t have to deal with the potential fallout? Did that bring you peace?
Why do you think Jesus said that He didn’t come to bring peace? How can that be true when He is also called the Prince of Peace?
PRAYER IDEA: “Jesus, You are the Prince of Peace. I know that even though the world seems chaotic now, one day You will bring perfect peace. You will come again to remove all sin and conflict, to bring justice once and for all, and right all wrongs. May I remember that You didn’t passively ignore conflict, You sought to restore relationships, especially my relationship with God. Give me the wisdom and courage to resolve conflicts in my life and choose to live at peace with others, even when it’s hard. Amen.”