Terms

 "I've not come to strike peace, but a sword," Matthew 10:34.

And here we thought Jesus was for peace and rainbows and happy feet through flowery meadows and stuff. In fact, Scripture goes on to speak of severe strife within intimate family, of crosses, of losing life. Indeed: Peace-making's context remains pitched battle. Everybody wants peace, but at what price? God strikes peace through Jesus' cross. To receive God's peace terms is to acknowledge Jesus as Lord. Corollary: deny the family's gods and religious traditions. Hence: Man against father, daughter against mother, in-law against in-law. Person against culture. That does not trip lightly off the tongue. Counting the cost. Losing one's life for Jesus' sake. Sky kingdom. Not of earth.

We find a brother or sister, today, to confess truly, Jesus is Lord. Together. We count the cost of that confession. We die. We receive God's unilateral peacemaking terms. We live.