Peace on Earth

Heaven on Earth, we need it now
I'm sick of all of this hanging around
Sick of sorrow, sick of the pain
I'm sick of hearing again and again
That there's gonna be peace on Earth

Where I grew up there weren't many trees
Where there was we'd tear them down
And use them on our enemies
They say that what you mock
Will surely overtake you

And you become a monster
So the monster will not break you
And it's already gone too far
You say that if you go in hard
You won't get hurt

Jesus can you take the time
To throw a drowning man a line
Peace on Earth

Tell the ones who hear no sound
Whose sons are living in the ground
Peace on Earth

No whos or whys
No one cries like a mother cries
For peace on Earth

She never got to say goodbye
To see the colour in his eyes
Now he's in the dirt
Peace on Earth

They're reading names out over the radio
All the folks the rest of us won't get to know
Sean and Julia, Gareth, Ann, and Breda
Their lives are bigger than any big idea

Jesus can you take the time
To throw a drowning man a line
Peace on Earth

To tell the ones who hear no sound
Whose sons are living in the ground
Peace on Earth

Jesus and the song you wrote
The words are sticking in my throat
Peace on Earth

Hear it every Christmas time
But hope and history won't rhyme
So what's it worth
This peace on Earth
Peace on Earth
Peace on Earth

These are lyrics from one of U2's best, but lesser known, songs-"Peace on Earth". If you happen to have access to a recording of the song, listen to it. If you can't listen to it, read slowly through the song. Then do it again. What does it leave you with? I'd be willing to wager that it likely left you with a fairly bitter or tired view of the state of the world today. Maybe even hopeless. Take for instance,

I'm sick of all of this hanging around
Sick of sorrow, sick of the pain
I'm sick of hearing again and again
That there's gonna be peace on Earth

Tell the ones who hear no sound
Whose sons are living in the ground
Peace on Earth

She never got to say goodbye
To see the colour in his eyes
Now he's in the dirt
Peace on Earth

It is as if the lyricist is at his wits' end. Sorrow and pain rule the Earth instead of the promised peace. Mothers outlive their children, who are dying before their time. It's easy to see how one can get a sense of despair and hopelessness from the tune and tone of the song.

However, lately, this song has almost become a fuel for me. A driving force to action. Instead of dwelling, nay, wandering in a state of inactivity and apathy, I'm filled with an insatiable desire for movement. Instead of a frustration and gloom that sprouts from thoughts like "I'm sick of sorrow, I'm sick of pain...tell the ones who hear no sound, whose sons are living in the ground", I'm now filled with a type of "fed up" attitude. Since I'm sick of the needless sorrow, pain, and death, I'm going to do something about it. To try to "make a dent" in it, as a doctor in Haiti says.

As Christians, we're called to the business of kingdom work. Or, as in U2's words, "heaven on earth". A concept God's tried to instill in us for quite a while. (See the Year of Jubilee in Leviticus 25.) That's about as best as I can do when it comes to explaining-in-a-nutshell my passion to make it back to Haiti. For like Bono and U2, I'm sick of the mess we're in. When peace on earth is preached and proclaimed every December, there's something sinfully wrong with that. For in the 11 months surrounding that time, peace takes a back seat. And with that reality, "hope and history won't rhyme."

In the terrific movie "Shawshank Redemption", Andy Dufresne, the wrongly convicted husband spends over 20 years of his life for the murder of his wife. Towards the end of the film, when it appears that the corruption and abuse that he regularly encounters in Shawshank Prison has finally gotten to him, Andy utters the phrase "Get busy living, or get busy dying." After the scene, the viewer is left with a fear that Andy perhaps has given up on life and may commit suicide. However, what is discovered is that Andy dug (literally!) through the dirt and grit of prison life and came out a free man, ready to live his life.

Faith and I are currently working through the idea of getting busy with living, while trying to be mindful that if you're not living, then you're obviously dying. We're excited about our path--even though it appears to be uphill and likely difficult. We'd much rather be full of life in all its glory and disappointment, laughter and tears, strengths and weaknesses.

Let me encourage you to consider what it would mean to "Get busy living."