The Peace of a Biblical Life

I was thinking about how peaceful it is at my mom’s house in Coopertown, Tennessee. I was fortunate as I was growing up to spend much of my time there with my grandparents and the rest of my extended family. I think much of the peace comes from the roaming hills and open spaces. There are almost as many barns as there are houses. Deer run free and every home has animals of some kind. It is a beautiful part of the country at all times of the year. However, I believe the source of peace comes from the fact that the families there live off basic biblical principles. If you had met my grandparents, there are certain traits you would be sure to notice. They were very hard working. They got up early and worked throughout the day, including most Saturdays. They never thought about vacations or anything like that, but they never seemed worn out. They had a very peaceful pace about them. Grandpa was never in a rush. They were content with what they had though by human standards they never had all that much. Yet, they always had not only enough for their needs but also were constantly giving and feeding and doing for others. They never built excess. Instead, they bought only what they needed and gave the rest to others. They were unusually selfless. It seems they never thought about themselves or what would be best for them. They seemed to build their lives around their family and neighbors. They lived in a community of families who came to the aid of the others each day. If one had need or tragedy the others helped. Finally, they loved without condition. Everyone who entered their home was accepted regardless of education or wealth or position. In fact, much of what we praise they seemed to consider a total waste. Not in a judgmental way. Just in the sense that they didn’t need the car you needed or the next gadget or piece of technology to be completely happy. They found peace in a very simple system laid out in the Scriptures. While so many people are making resolutions and struggling to find what is missing, they seem to say, “less is more.” It doesn’t take much to find the peace God offers. Perhaps the country farmer is one of the best examples we have of the life Jesus spoke of when He described the Kingdom.