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Shalom

Jesus’ work on the cross bridges the division between sinful humanity and our holy God. “God was pleased to have all His fullness dwell in Him, and through Him to reconcile to Himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through His blood, shed on the cross” (Colossians 1:19-20 NIV).

The apostle Paul considered himself, and us, to be ambassadors for this reconciliation. “He has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us” (2 Corinthians 5:19-20 NIV).

The Hebrew word shalom helps us understand what reconciliation looks like on earth. Shalom is not just “hello” and “goodbye.” It conveys the sense of a comprehensive peace, harmony, wholeness, prosperity, and well-being.

A world of shalom is a world where everything is in right relationship with everything else: us with God, us with one another, us with the world. This includes being in right relationship with the work God has called us to do. A wrong relationship to our work might be a reluctant obedience to God’s will. A more right relationship with our work might be evidenced by a posture of giving generously of ourselves for the benefit of others out of genuine joy and without compulsion.

When we are right with God, we can be right with the world and serve as God’s ambassadors, bringing the world into proper relationship with Him. Living our lives under the lordship of Christ is the source of our deepest shalom, and this peaceful centeredness can then flow out from us and into the world around us through all we do.

Where do you see the opposite of shalom before you, giving you an opportunity for creating greater wholeness, peace, and well-being?