Sage words from my beloved Grandma Sime whenever we cousins would disagree/fight with each other.
Every Sunday after church, each of Grandma and Grandpa’s ten children, their spouses and children would gather at her house (poor Grandma!) for food, companionship, and playtime for us kids. Given the amount of children (about 25 of us then - many, many more now!), disputes naturally arose in all areas of play – tag, hide and seek, ball games, climbing trees, chasing chickens, cracking open walnuts, walking across step stones in the creek, whatever.
Our frustrations, tears, or anger were taken inside and placed literally and vehemently in Grandma’s lap – our peacemaker. Inevitably, the solution she recommended (no, demanded) was that we hold each other’s hands and sing, “Jesus Loves Me.” How many times I sang that through clenched teeth, we wouldn’t be able to count. But after about three verses, it was difficult to remember what we were upset about. It worked!
Wouldn’t the world benefit from Grandma’s advice as well? What if all the leaders of the world got together (like at Grandma’s house), held hands and sang, “Jesus Loves Me.” It would certainly be accompanied by the requisite clenched teeth, I’m sure. But what if they kept singing until all anger and resentment was dissipated? Then the talks could begin in earnest, knowing that each one was loved by Jesus, that by inviting Him into all world conferences, that by asking that His will be done, that by turning disputes over to Him as a Higher Power, an all-knowing God, there would be answers, there would be solutions, there would be His saving grace for all, in all situations.
Feeling this love of Jesus, each leader would depart, share the love of Jesus with his people, one would tell another until all conflict in-country and between countries would cease. All would know that Jesus loves them. The result? World peace. Amen.
“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called Sons of God.” Matthew 5:9
