Day 117 -- Leaves, Not Swords
In the mid-90s, when the peace sign became re-popular for the first time, I was all over it. I had a peace sign shirt, hat, and buttons, and I loved to wear the articles promoting peace over violence.
I remember well-intentioned adults telling me to be careful with wearing the symbol, as it offended some who believed it was an anti-Christ sentiment and others who believed it was protestation of whatever war was going on at the time. I suppose that's the problem with symbols. In this broken world, they are subject to human interpretation.
I know now that the original peace sign was created by the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (or CND), and is not, as some people mistakenly believe, a broken cross. Rather, it is a representation of the flag semaphore symbols for N (nuclear) and D (disarmament), as shown here:
Based on what I've learned this week through my devotionals and in Sunday service today, I think it's funny that anyone could accuse something associated with peace as being of Satan; Jesus was the original peace advocate, as He demonstrated in the triumphal entry on Palm Sunday.
Here are some thoughts from Phil Stout, the lead pastor at Jackson First Church of the Nazarene, who puts out a weekly devotional online and put Jesus' passion for peace in clearer terms for me:
"We commonly refer to Jesus' entrance into Jerusalem as "The Triumphal Entry." But what may be more accurate is to refer to it as the "Anti-triumphal Entry". The people of that day were accustomed to triumphal entries. That is what the Roman generals would do after battles they had won. They would ride into town trumpeting their victories, displaying the spoils of war and pulling behind them the conquered people who were now their slaves.
It was about this time of the year that Pontius Pilate, the Roman procurator of Jerusalem, would ride into town to display his might and to warn people that they would be crushed if they opposed him. It was a way of keeping the peace during the Jewish festivals -- in this case, Passover.
Jesus rode into Jerusalem from the other direction -- the opposite side of town from which Pilate would enter. He came on an undersized donkey, rather than a great horse. Instead of the swords and spears thrust in the air by Pilate's entourage, the people around Jesus raised palm branches in the air. Some scholars believe that Jesus was lampooning the pomp and so-called strength of the Roman Empire. It makes sense. The word teaches us the folly of the kingdoms of this world.
'The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together against the Lord and against his Anointed One...The One enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord scoffs at them.' (Psalm 2:2,4)
...
Peace does not come through strength as the world reckons strength. Jesus went to a cross and calls his people to conquer in the manner that he did, not in the ways of the world."
I feel like I learned so much of the character of my savior today. Feeling that I had this link to Him was incredibly cool, but it was even cooler to know that while I can only stand back and hope for peace, He has the power to bring it. After all, "He will proclaim peace to the nations" (Zechariah 9:10). And He won't do it by waving swords in the air and brutally crushing those who are opposed to him, but in ways we can't possibly understand because they are in direct opposition to the ways of this world.
So, today I am thankful that my savior defied the ways of the world by having His people raise palm branches, a symbol of peace ,and by riding a tiny little donkey (not exactly awe-inspiring).
I am thankful that He has a sense of humor and that we have in common a desire for peace.
I am thankful that although his ways do not always make sense to me, I can trust that He knows what is best for me.
Thank God for leaves, not swords!
Lord, thank you for revealing yourself to me today. Thank you for defying the ways of this world and triumphing in ways that we could not possibly comprehend fully. Thank you for your power to bring peace to this broken world. I am so grateful that you love me enough to show me your ways. Please help me to walk in them. In your name I pray, Amen.
I remember well-intentioned adults telling me to be careful with wearing the symbol, as it offended some who believed it was an anti-Christ sentiment and others who believed it was protestation of whatever war was going on at the time. I suppose that's the problem with symbols. In this broken world, they are subject to human interpretation.
I know now that the original peace sign was created by the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (or CND), and is not, as some people mistakenly believe, a broken cross. Rather, it is a representation of the flag semaphore symbols for N (nuclear) and D (disarmament), as shown here:
Here are some thoughts from Phil Stout, the lead pastor at Jackson First Church of the Nazarene, who puts out a weekly devotional online and put Jesus' passion for peace in clearer terms for me:
"We commonly refer to Jesus' entrance into Jerusalem as "The Triumphal Entry." But what may be more accurate is to refer to it as the "Anti-triumphal Entry". The people of that day were accustomed to triumphal entries. That is what the Roman generals would do after battles they had won. They would ride into town trumpeting their victories, displaying the spoils of war and pulling behind them the conquered people who were now their slaves.
It was about this time of the year that Pontius Pilate, the Roman procurator of Jerusalem, would ride into town to display his might and to warn people that they would be crushed if they opposed him. It was a way of keeping the peace during the Jewish festivals -- in this case, Passover.
Jesus rode into Jerusalem from the other direction -- the opposite side of town from which Pilate would enter. He came on an undersized donkey, rather than a great horse. Instead of the swords and spears thrust in the air by Pilate's entourage, the people around Jesus raised palm branches in the air. Some scholars believe that Jesus was lampooning the pomp and so-called strength of the Roman Empire. It makes sense. The word teaches us the folly of the kingdoms of this world.
'The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together against the Lord and against his Anointed One...The One enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord scoffs at them.' (Psalm 2:2,4)
...
Peace does not come through strength as the world reckons strength. Jesus went to a cross and calls his people to conquer in the manner that he did, not in the ways of the world."
I feel like I learned so much of the character of my savior today. Feeling that I had this link to Him was incredibly cool, but it was even cooler to know that while I can only stand back and hope for peace, He has the power to bring it. After all, "He will proclaim peace to the nations" (Zechariah 9:10). And He won't do it by waving swords in the air and brutally crushing those who are opposed to him, but in ways we can't possibly understand because they are in direct opposition to the ways of this world.
So, today I am thankful that my savior defied the ways of the world by having His people raise palm branches, a symbol of peace ,and by riding a tiny little donkey (not exactly awe-inspiring).
I am thankful that He has a sense of humor and that we have in common a desire for peace.
I am thankful that although his ways do not always make sense to me, I can trust that He knows what is best for me.
Thank God for leaves, not swords!
Lord, thank you for revealing yourself to me today. Thank you for defying the ways of this world and triumphing in ways that we could not possibly comprehend fully. Thank you for your power to bring peace to this broken world. I am so grateful that you love me enough to show me your ways. Please help me to walk in them. In your name I pray, Amen.
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