Before you get mad, hear me out here. Jeremiah 29:11 holds these oft spoken words: "For I know the thoughts I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope." Great words. Very encouraging. Most of the time taken out of context.In reading Justice in the Burbs by Will and Lisa Sampson they made an excellent point about this passage and in a larger picture the privilege it is to live in such a non-Christian place. A few verses earlier Jeremiah writes this: "And seek the peace of the city where I have caused you to be carried away captive, and pray to the Lord for it; for in its peace you will also have peace." (v. 7) So there is something very connected between being exiled to a place/land that is not your own...in a sense being an alien, a foreigner, or resident of someplace that is not your true home.
That's us today here where we are. We're not home (eternity), but we're in exile here. God has placed you and I where we live and wants to use us to bring peace to the places where we are. As we work toward that end we too find peace. Both are intimately connected. Instead of the constant desire to be removed from such non-Christian surroundings we should be praying for the peace of our surroundings.
I experience this in my neighborhood. There are few of faith that I know of and there are plenty of people in need of Jesus. Awhile ago it become tempting for us to move away to a more secluded place where we would in fact not see many people...but at least it would be peaceful for us! The house deal fell through, and I'm thankful. In spite of difficulties sometimes in the neighborhood we are very blessed to be here among some really good people. Yeah, they aren't Christians, but so what?! I have the opportunity to serve some really good folks and share the love and reality of Christ with them.
All this said I say "look where you are." Where has God placed you in exile? With whom should you be working for peace. The Kingdom of God for any true follower of Christ works towards this end of serving those who he's exiled to/with. So how does that play out for you.
The other day, it played out for me by mowing my neighbors lawn and having him share some wax with me for my car. Sounds hard, huh?
