Read: Luke 10:5-7
Peace be to this house! (v. 5)
I don’t begin most conversations among new people with “peace.” To me, it sounds a bit like humans greeting aliens in a bad sci-fi movie: “We come in peace.” However, peace as a greeting would not be unusual for the disciples, especially entering Samaritan homes that might be cautious to welcome a Jew (see John 4:9). “Peace” was a common “hello” for faithful Jews. But Jesus had more in mind than “hello.”
In the birth stories of Luke 1 and 2, peace is closely linked with the coming of salvation in Jesus. Peace is a gift Jesus bestowed on the disciples at the last supper: “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you” (John 14:27). Beginning with “peace” is more about posture and disposition than a word of introduction. It’s an invitation to something more: the gift of salvation! It’s more than an ordinary greeting because the people they were meeting weren’t ordinary.
In his essay “The Weight of Glory,” C. S. Lewis observes that everyone we meet is created in the image of God and destined either for heaven or hell. “It is in the light of these overwhelming possibilities . . . that we should conduct all our dealings with one another, all friendships, all loves, all play, all politics. There are no ordinary people.” We cannot force people to receive the peace Christ offers, and we don’t know who will (Luke 10:6). Our work is to invite people to something more. How might we approach our conversations today in a way that offers Christ’s peace?
As you pray, ask God for a posture of peace.
About the Author
Rev. Jon Opgenorth serves as president of Words of Hope. Previously, he served for 18 years as senior pastor at Trinity Reformed Church in Orange City, Iowa. In preparation for ministry, he received a BA in Religion from Northwestern College, and an MDiv from Fuller Theological Seminary.
