I found a golden glittering peace sign ornament at a downtown flea market in Salida, Colorado. I bought the last three they had—one for my mother, one for my aunt, and one for myself.
Every time I see a peace sign, I think of my Grandma Wadlow. She was an itty-bitty woman with a huge personality. She signed every card and letter, Love and Peace. We’d often joke how ironic it was that an ultra-conservative, southern Baptist, set-in-her-traditional-ways older woman would be so drawn to peace signs! They’d often conjure up images of war protestors, Woodstock attenders, and bra-burning, make love not war touting 60s and 70s American youth.
It was not until I reached the decade of my infamous 30s that I realized why my grandma was so intent on spreading peace to every corner of her world. She wasn’t chasing the mystical and elusive unicorn of world peace. My dear grandmother was on a lifelong mission to find what we all desire—the peace which passes all understanding—the peace God promises to all who have a relationship with His only Son. Philippians 4:7 says, “And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
This indescribable peace guards our hearts and minds in a world that seems anything but peaceful. Illness infringing upon the health of our loved ones, political decisions that result in angst and fear, and circumstances that affect our seemingly limited and quickly diminishing financial stability. People are making choices without realizing God has the final authority over all the world. You name it, wherever you land on these hot-button topics, most of us would agree they illicit the direct opposite of peace.
Jesus offers an inexplicable inner peace, even in the midst of human suffering. He offers the gift of forgiveness and the hope of eternal life…with Him.
The true supernatural peace my grandma sought was born hundreds of years ago, in a lowly manger filled with hay. A precious baby, God’s own Son—Jesus—entered a very broken world and experienced every facet of human life while walking the very ground countless walk today.
This child King did not offer riches untold or the political power sought by the citizens of His time. He offered something much greater than the world could understand or accept. He offered an inexplicable inner peace, even in the midst of human suffering. He offered the gift of forgiveness and the hope of eternal life…with Him.
It’s this internal, God-given, Christ-child infused peace that my grandma yearned for when she signed her timeless hand-written cards and letters, Love and Peace. I am reminded of this amazing peace when I stare at the top of my non-traditional, turquoise glowing Christmas tree, with the glittering golden peace sign on the top. My grandmother pointed us to the peace Jesus brought into the world the very night of His long-awaited, and perfectly-timed birth.
May you experience the perfect, indescribable peace of Christ this Christmas time, no matter what happens to be going on in the world today. “For unto us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on His shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (Is. 9:6).
