Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. John 14:27

The night before his appointment with insults, torture and death, Jesus is full of peace. Abundant and calming—as He faced death’s door—he generously gave to his disciples what they would need, before they even knew what they needed—peace. A well of peace so deep, never to run dry. Not the temporary peace of this world, but the permanent peace of the Prince of Peace. Christ’s peace is His gift, peace for all who receive Him. Christ calms calamity and clears confusion.  Like a feather swirling in the wind, peace is allusive to the proud, but easily grasped by the humble.

But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen you and protect you from the evil one. 2 Thessalonians 3:3 (NIV)

A friend of mine was telling me about an experiment of sorts that he and his community group at church have recently begun. Each time they gather together, the bulk of their discussion time is spent answering just two basic questions, “What has God done for you this week?” and “What have you done for God?” While at face value these may seem overly simplistic or basic, he said the results have been profound. In particular, it creates a culture of expectation and shared experience. Here’s what I mean.

One of the holiday decorations that has literally popped up on the lawns of neighborhoods throughout our community, and I suspect around the nation, is the inflatable. These inflatables declare with unmistakable fashion the coming of Christmas. In close proximity of our home, one can see an inflatable Santa, an inflated Rudolph, an inflatable Frosty the Snowman that stands fifteen feet tall and bounces in the breeze, and an inflated Merry Mickey Christmas. Some of these decorations have lights and some do not. Some even have fake snow falling and swirling. On one lawn, a passerby can see Joseph, Mary, the baby Jesus and at least one of the Magi safely enclosed in a colorful plastic bubble that lights up at night.

It’s inflatable Christmas. Hmmm. An interesting concept. The inflatable Christmas is full of air. There is not much to it, at least not much of substance. It’s decorative and is totally dependent upon air to make it appear as anything more than a piece of trash on the lawn. Pull the plug, and these inflatables collapse. The inflatable Christmas is for show. Drive through these neighborhoods in the daylight hours and these same displays usually lay flat and lifeless on the ground. Empty. Deflated.