Shalom

One of the ways that Paul talks about the good news is by calling it “the gospel of peace” (Ephesians 6:15). That phrase is particularly evocative because the Old Testament scriptures used the word peace (which is ‘shalom’ in Hebrew) to describe not the absence of war but the presence of a web of healthy connections. Lisa Sharon Harper describes it beautifully in her book The Very Good Gospel. Let this sink into your soul today.

Shalom is what the Kingdom of God smells like.
It’s what the Kingdom looks like and what Jesus requires of the Kingdom’s citizens.
It’s when everyone has enough.
It’s when families are healed.
It’s when shame is renounced and inner freedom is laid hold of.
It’s when human dignity,
bestowed by the image of God in all humanity,
is cultivated, protected, and served in families, faith communities, and schools and through public policy.
Shalom is when the capacity to lead
is recognized in every human being
and when nations join together to protect the environment.

- Lisa Sharon Harper