Peace on Earth, Goodwill to Men

By David Free, Deacon

It’s that time of the year again – bring on the Christmas carols!

I awoke this morning with “peace on earth, goodwill to men” running through my foggy head. I thought to myself, I know this tune. What is it? It’s a Christmas carol, I’m certain, but I can’t quite place it. Oh well, it doesn’t matter anyway, the words don’t apply to our world today. There certainly is no peace on earth and definitely no goodwill toward men in our country.

I thought on. We just finished a national election in our country, one that has ripped the very fiber of our nation and set people against each other because of differing political beliefs. Where’s the goodwill toward men? I’m as guilty as the next guy. I have raged at my TV, yelling at it as if it could hear me. I have communicated my beliefs to friends of like-mind and closed my ears to those who do not agree. So where is my goodwill to men? I’m certainly not showing any of it!

Back to the Christmas carol, I looked it up on good old Google – I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day, oh yah, of course, that’s it. Well, I decided to look a little further and discovered that it is based on the 1863 poem Christmas Bells by American poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. The song tells of the narrator's despair, upon hearing Christmas bells during the America Civil War, that hate is strong and mocks the song of peace on earth, good will to men. The carol concludes with the bells carrying renewed hope for peace among men.

Wait a minute, I thought to myself. Isn’t this just what we may need today?

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep
God is not dead, nor doth He sleep;
The Wrong shall fail,
The Right prevail,
With peace on earth, good will to men.

I hear you, Father. You are speaking to me. I promise, I will be kinder to my TV. I will stop and listen to the other side. I will offer goodwill to people and pray for peace on earth.

“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.” (Luke 2:14 NKJV) 

Prayer: Father, at this time in our country’s history, we pray that You will lead us from troubled times to peace and goodwill to all. May our country’s motto, in God we trust, burn brighter in our hearts and may we hear the bells on Christmas morning. Amen.