Davison's Doodle

Peace: It’s Complicated

It is the second week of Advent.

Peace.  We sang about peace all the time at church camp when I was in junior high and high school.  As a camp counselor the singing tradition was passed on, but somewhere in the mid to late 1990’s it ceased.

I’ve got peace like a river
I’ve got peace like a river
I’ve got peace like a river in my soul
Down in my soul.

African-American Spiritual in the public domain. Click here to listen.

All we are saying is give peace a chance.

John Lennon. “Give Peace a Chance.” (Apple Records) 1969. Click here to listen.

Now the valley cried with anger 
Mount your horses 
Draw your swords 
And they killed the mountain people 
So they won their just reward 
Now they stood beside the treasure 
On the mountain dark and red 
Turned the stone and looked beneath it 
‘Peace on Earth’ was all it said

Dennis Lambert and Brian Potter. The Original Caste, One Tin Soldier, “One Tin Soldier” (Bell Records) 1969. Click here to listen.

Unfortunately, the overplay of “One Tin Soldier” at camps, youth Sundays, and countless other places defanged the power of that lyrical story.

And outside of summer camp the Eagles sang about peace in relationship.

And I got a peaceful easy feeling.
And I know you won’t let me down
‘Cause I’m already standing on the ground.

Jack Tempchin. Eagles, “Peaceful Easy Feeling.” (Asylum Records) 1972. Click here to listen.

Where have all the peace songs gone? Here’s a list from Zing Instruments.

One of the identities that Christianity has hung on Jesus is the “Prince of Peace”.  History is littered with more violence than peace in the name of Jesus or the name of God.  That is something that can be understood, maybe even something to sympathize with, but not reconciled.  Sacrificial atonement and substitutionary atonement are beliefs that come with theological guarantees unlike the messy work of peace in the here and now.

Peace is my responsibility. It’s a walk in the forest. It’s a protest for justice and equality.  It’s the sound of the ocean breaking on the beach. It’s my companion cuddled up to me on the couch. Bob Marley is right.  People have to get ready for peace and redemption song. It’s doing what is right because it is right.  I can help create moments of stillness for the majesty of peace to be experienced in a noisy, cluttered, and self sorted 21st century. 

Peace is something more than an absence of violence, but that would be a good start. Maybe Jimi Hendrix is right, “When the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know peace.”

Peace is our responsibility. May it be so.

the Spirit of Christmas

Ray Charles sang about it.

Someone you follow on TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, a Blogger, or your social media of choice is probably influencing about it.

There is a personalized Ad waiting to popup in your feed to sell you something to help you experience it.

Jacob Marley tried to warn Ebenezer Scrooge about living it.

And Charlie Brown just wants someone to tell him what “Christmas is all about.”

Linus tells a bit of the spotlight Christian Christmas story about a savior, who is Christ the Lord. Remember, the shepherds returned to the field praising God for all they had heard and seen as it had been told to them.  The story doesn’t say what the shepherds did the next day.  

Is that the same thing as the Spirit of Christmas?  I know it is hard to ponder in your heart, but in a pluralistic world the Spirit of Christmas may mean a little bit more. 

Is it what Linus, Lucy, and the others do for Charlie Brown, and a twinkling star that lifts voices?

All the Whos in Whoville gather and sing:

“Christmas day is in our grasp
So long as we have hands to clasp.
Welcome Christmas where we stand
Heart to heart and hand in hand.” 

How will you tell someone what the spirit of Christmas is? 
If that seems hard to do maybe you can be a sign of the spirit of Christmas this year.

Happy Advent!