In keeping with the Christmas season, Residence Life Director Julie Franklin spoke about peace on earth and good will toward men during Tuesday's devotional.
Citing Longfellow's well-known Christmas poem and Luke 3:14, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will to men," Franklin explored the concept of "peace among men of good will," (emphasis added).
Studying the life of Christ, Franklin said, can help a person find peace in a chaotic world. "Jesus Christ, that highly anticipated infant, whose birth has been celebrated with the ringing of Christmas bells, is a perfect example for us of how to feel peace and good will."
Franklin highlighted three characteristics from Christ's life that can help us "have the peace the angels promised." The first two characteristics go hand in hand: "Jesus knows who he is [and] he . . . understood why he was here on the earth and who he was to become." The third characteristic of Christ's life is that he "successfully avoided sin, and he did it by managing temptation in his life."
Of these three traits, Franklin said, "Developing an understanding of who we are, learning to live according to that understanding, avoiding sin and repenting when we fail and figuring out how to be individuals with good will in our hearts are all part of the reason we are here on this earth."
In closing, Franklin prayed that during this Christmas season and throughout our lives, "we will have good will in our hearts … and that we will feel the promised peace now and always."
For rebroadcast dates, please see byubroadcasting.org/devotionals.
Writer: Alexis Plowman
