I am helping with some of the planning for our 50th (not even possible) high school reunion in Southern Ohio. Academically I was only 127 spots away from being Valedictorian at Chillicothe High School! Perhaps I could have applied myself a bit more. It is almost incomprehensible that five decades ago we walked the stage and began our journey through life. I have been nostalgic about the upcoming reunion and reflective about my beliefs when I graduated long, long ago. 

The one thing I was sure of was that my generation could make a difference. We would fix the mess that my parents and grandparents had made. We believed peace was possible. One of favorite songs from that era was a song The Youngbloods recorded called “Get Together”.  I remember listening to a staticky AM transistor radio while singing along with The Youngbloods. All we had to do was get together. This would be easy enough. Everybody sing now…

C’mon people now,
Smile on your brother
Ev’rybody get together
Try and love one another right now 

Nice words. The problem was contained in the last line of lyric above. Try and love one another right now. How is that working out for our peace loving generation? Not so well. It is far easier to sing about loving one another than it is to actually love another. No matter how much I “try” I seem to fail miserably when I determine that I will, in my own strength, love others. It is easy to love some people. But loving the unlovable is the challenge. On that count we as a generation have not done so well. Jesus pointed out my (and our collective) hypocrisy on that count.

• If you love only those who love you, what reward is there for that? Even corrupt tax collectors do that much. If you are kind only to your friends, how are you different from anyone else? Even pagans do that. (Matthew 5:46-47, NLT)

As an idealistic teen I believed that more education, communication, and edification would change the world. Sound familiar? I believed that the problem was not sin in our hearts like the Bible talked about. The problem was a lack of knowledge and honest communication. I was wrong. The problem is sin. Education and communication certainly help. But real change comes from the inside out. And for me that came from the most amazing revolutionary in history, Jesus Christ. How we have marginalized the powerful teachings of Jesus. He bluntly said that peace was not going to be found in this life.

• “But the time is coming–in fact, it is already here–when you will be scattered, each one going his own way, leaving me alone. Yet I am not alone because the Father is with me. I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”   (John 16, NLT)

Jesus said the Holy Spirit would comfort us in times of trouble and that the peace the world advocates would fall short.

• “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”  (John 14, NLT)

I watch the news and my heart aches. I wish we could have peace on earth but I have come to believe that is not possible through human institutions. I truly wish it were possible.

It is not in my trying that we can get together. It is by trusting God and allowing Him to love me. When I understand how much I am loved then I can love others. Only then can we truly love one another and maybe, just maybe, we can come together.

Want a heartwarming story to share with your kids or grandkids? A runt of the litter named Grunt finds that God has a purpose for every one of His creatures. Check it out!