Peace and Quiet

Last Saturday, I was shuttling friends to and from the airport. Even though the atmosphere here at our little airport is mild compared to virtually any other airport, many of the travelers still seem to have an impending sense of panic that could be brought to the surface on a moment's notice. I don't even like looking at the line of passengers checking in for fear I'll catch some exotic strain of stress simply through eye contact.

After I left the airport, I stopped at a nearby store that sells everyday household items in quantities of 2-3 million per package, enabling me to save hundreds of thousands of dollars each time I go in. At the door, I successfully prove I am a member and enter. The store gives food away at the end of each isle, creating a major traffic jam of men, women and children, each pushing heavy laden grocery buggies and large shopping carts. The fact that it is Saturday makes it even more intense. After dodging other shoppers up and down each and every isle (don't want to miss any great deals), I go through my usual buyer's remorse and return most of the items I put in my cart. As I race with my two items to claim the shortest checkout line, I work hard not to give the appearance of a wild dog trying to grab a bone tossed into the middle of the pack. The wait at the checkout doesn't seem all that long because I spend the entire time looking at other shopper's buggies trying to guess how much they'll have to pay to get out of there. I finally get to the register and prove…once again…that I am a card-carrying member. (Wouldn't want any non-member 'sneaking off' with huge savings.) After an embarrassing amount of time spent in the store, they finally allow me to leave with dog food and a ham after successfully proving I paid for it at the checkout. Half a beautiful afternoon later, I am on the way home, wound up tighter than a cheap watch. Peace and quiet I do not have.

This isn't the first time this has happened to me, nor will it be the last. The writer of Ecclesiates captured the moment in a simple verse over 300 years ago when he wrote: 'Better is a handful with quietness, than two handfuls with labor and vexation of spirit.' (Ecclesiastes 4:6 YLT) I leave home perfectly happy (with quietness) with my one handful of 'stuff', only to convince myself in a buying panic (vexation of spirit) that one handful of 'stuff' is not enough. But…airports bustling with travelers and stores crowded with shoppers are not the only places that cause us to need some peace and quiet.

The writer of Proverbs (likely the same person) offered another pearl of wisdom about when, why and where we need peace and quiet: Better a dry crust with peace and quiet than a house full of feasting, with strife. (Proverbs 17:1 NIV) The second half of the verse is a sobering reminder of how we can lose sight of what is most important. We consistently make every effort to fill our house with feasting-the best the world has to offer-but often times, strife and conflict sneak in the back door while we are preoccupied with the good life. If we are lucky, we remember the early days when times were tough, but our lives were peaceful and quiet.

So-is peace and quiet simply the absence of stress and turmoil? Yes…but how do we get rid of stress and turmoil? The prophet Isaiah wrote: You, LORD, give true peace to those who depend on you, because they trust you. (Isaiah 26:3 NCV) According to Isaiah, peace is more than simply playing soft music in the background; it is the result of having a trusting relationship with God. You may ask, "What is a trusting relationship with God, and how does it produce peace?" The best example I can think of is the relationship I have with my dogs. My dogs depend on me; I don't ever let them down. As time has passed, they have each come to trust me. The result? They live a perfect dog's life of peace and quiet. Do they ever suffer from strife and conflict? You bet they do…but as soon as I step into the situation, they calm down and resume the peace and quiet routine.

Do we ever have strife and conflict instead of peace and quiet? You bet we do…but as soon as we let God step into the situation, we calm down and resume the peace and quiet that comes from following Him. Isaiah recorded God's words on the issue: If only you had listened to my commands! Your peace would be like a river that never runs dry. (Isaiah 48:18 GWT)

By the way, how many shopping days are left until Christmas?