About that biblical word Peace. It doesn't mean quietness, or lack of war, or a feeling of satisfaction that all's right with the world. All of those things could be included under the idea of "peace," but a better understanding is to relate it to the word pact, from the same root. It means accord with God, concord, unity, and only secondarily does it have anything to do with our relationship with the world. To relate it to our relationship to other people who we know is closer, because we cannot love God without loving our brother. Yet it still isn't the main point, and our relationship to other groups or nations is well down the list.
I've used the image of a good car running smoothly down the road. There's plenty of activity, but it is all proper and according the the nature of the things. This would be in opposition to the engine misfiring, or trying to drive the car over farm furrows. Or crashing it.
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