The Global Peace Index seeks to rank the level of peace around the world. As you can imagine this is no easy task. What is peace? How is it measured? They are well aware of this difficulty and state, “The concept of peace is notoriously difficult to define. The simplest way of approaching it is in terms of harmony achieved by the absence of war or conflict.” They begin with the concept of negative peace (the absence of violence) and then try to look at what kinds of things can build and maintain peace (positive peace). They examine things like type of government, economic factors, etc.
It is really important that we work to bring this kind of peace to the world. I know we all cringe when we hear the stereotype of the beauty queen who declares her desire for world peace. But after we mock her, what do we do to help make it happen?
We all have some sphere of influence. Certainly some have larger ones than others, but nonetheless we can each labor to bring peace to those spheres. What about peace in our families? How do we do in cultivating peace between us and our spouse? How about with our kids? What are we doing to cultivate peace between us and our neighbors? Do we even know our neighbors? Do we only care about the peace of those who are like us? Or do we actively work for peace for those who are different than us? Even those who may not like us?
Of course this study is merely looking at nations, not individuals. There is a significant difference between peace among nations and peace in an individual’s life or heart. There are plenty of people who live in the most peaceful places on earth and yet feel no peace in themselves at all. Also, one can be in the midst of war and still experience remarkable inner peace. This was true of the prophet Habakkuk. Faced with the coming invasion of an enemy army, knowing the destruction and calamity they would bring he was able to say, “Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will take joy in the God of my salvation” (Habakkuk 3:17-18).
I want to be a peacemaker. I want to bring peace between people. Obviously I focus on relationships between Muslims and Christians, but my heart is that we would all live in peace (I really mean that!). But I also know that whether we live in a peaceful society or not we can still have the peace of God that surpasses all understanding (see Philippians 4:7). So I don’t want to only bring peace between people, I also want to help people find peace with God.
This is why I focus on Jesus Christ. He is the Prince of Peace. He is the bringer of peace. There is a reason Ghandi loved Jesus Christ’s sermon on the mount found in Matthew 5-7. Read it and then imagine what it would be like if we all lived this way.
So which country is ranked the highest with the greatest peace? New Zealand. Of the 144 ranked, which has the least peace? You may not be surprised that it is Iraq.
And in case you’re wondering: the highest ranked Muslim country was Qatar, tied for 16th. The US was ranked 83rd.
HT: Talk Islam
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