The small church in Umbarger, Texas, was an unlikely place for an international work of art. But toward the end of World War II, seven Italian prisoners of war, who were being held at a large camp nearby, were chosen to help decorate the church's plain brick walls. The prisoners were reluctant to aid their captors, but they agreed on the condition that their efforts be considered a contribution toward Christian brotherhood and understanding. But as they worked on their paintings and a woodcarving of the Last Supper, one of the POWs later recalled, "A spontaneous steam of good feelings began almost at once to flow among us". No one spoke of the war or the past because "we were here for a work of peace and love".
Our lives are filled with unlikely settings for introducing God's peace. We can feel imprisoned by hard feelings, strained relationships, and confining circumstances. But peace has the power to break out anywhere. James reminded us that "the wisdom that is from above is. . . peaceable, gentle, willing to yield. . . The fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace" (James 3:17-18). Wherever we are today, let's ask the Lord to use us as His peacemakers. The best peacemakers are those who know the peace of God.
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