23 Dec Peace on Earth, Good Will Toward Men
When angels heralded the birth of the Savior, Jesus Christ, they praised God and said, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.” (Luke 2:14) That phrase has been repeated millions of times over the past 2000 years, often sung in our favorite Christmas songs.
Perhaps the best known recital of that phrase is in the song, “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day”. That familiar song began as a poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow when he was struggling with the greatest pains of his own life.
July 10, 1861 Fanny Longfellow was trying to preserve a few of her seven-year old daughter’s clipped curls in sealing wax. While melting the wax with a candle a few drops fell on the light fabric of her summer dress, which was immediately engulfed in flames. She ran from the room, hoping to protect her young children. Henry could not extinguish the flames with a small throw rug and so wrapped his arms around her, hoping to put them out with his own body.
Fanny died the next day; Henry’s face, arms and hands were severely burned. Longfellow’s trademark beard resulted from his not being able to shave after the accident. That Christmas he wrote, “How inexpressibly sad are all holidays.” He also wrote, “A merry Christmas say the children, but that is no more for me.”
About a year later he received word that his oldest son, Charles, had been severely injured. He had volunteered to serve in the Civil War, feeling it was his duty to serve his nation. But he had done so without his father’s blessing, and now that father mourned deeply. Longfellow made no entries in his journal Christmas of 1863.
It was the following year, Christmas Day 1864, that he penned “Christmas Bells”, which was later arranged into the song we know. (If you are not familiar with it, please look it up online.)
Longfellow’s poem and the Christmas carol have resonated through the years because so many of us know the pains of loss, and the tension of trying to celebrate when we do not feel at peace.
But the 2000-year old phrase, “peace on earth, good will toward men”, rings as true today as ever. You can enjoy life. You can have peace even while the world is reeling from turmoil. And it often begins with having “good will” toward those around you.
A friend recently observed that he found peace and joy as he turned his attention—fully and on purpose—to the experiences and needs of those around him. He expressed surprise that the pains of his own burdens were lifted as he considered the experiences of others—friends, family, even complete strangers. “When I started really thinking about other people, instead of my own frustrations and suffering, I started to feel a lot better.”
He did not rush out to take care of everyone around them. Rather he intentionally thought about their experiences and not only his own. Even those individuals who would ordinarily irritate or frustrate him were recipients of his compassion and kindness.
He experienced peace as he turned his will to the good of those around him.
As 2014 draws to a close you might be tempted to rehearse the bad news of the year, whether personal or general. If you do you can be assured to feel irritation, frustration, even depression.
But you get to choose where you place your attention, how you use this wonderful mind.
Let me encourage you this holiday season to experiment with the words recorded in Luke. Set aside your judgments and frustrations by becoming curious and genuinely interested in the experiences of those around you.
Hold a door for a stranger. Carry someone’s packages for them. Smile on purpose, just to make someone else’s day a little brighter. Withhold judgment, offer encouragement. Sincerely wish someone a Merry Christmas.
God’s work and glory—bringing to pass the immortality and eternal life of man—took a big leap forward with of the events of the first Christmas. His good will was extended to you. Enjoy peace this and every season by extending your good will to women and men wherever they are on earth.
By making God’s work our work we get to experience more of this peace. Perhaps we will be a part of making the coming year a better one for others and well as for ourselves.