GlocalNet

Peace on earth good will to men--the statement of angels to shepherds in the fields of Bethlehem. There is no peace there.  Of all the places in the world, there should be peace there. The convergence of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam is in that one little town of 30,000. The test of the ability of “religion” to work in the world is not on the outskirts of the globe but where we are placed on top of one another. Our faith is only as good as it is in the worst of circumstances--not the best.

Bethlehem is the vortex of faith and conflict in the Middle-East. “Religion” shames itself by its inability to live in peace there with one another. It contradicts itself. It makes a mockery of itself. It nullifies the values and truths it says it believes in--all of the big 3! I was reading a commentary on Bethlehem that is over 100 years old. It said that Bethlehem is a sleepy little town where people have lived in peace for hundreds of years of all faiths making up 200 households. Not anymore.

Nikki and I sat in an outdoor theatre at Epcot in Orlando listening to Christmas music and the story of Bethlehem Monday night. The words to all the songs about the shepherds, the baby, the star, the town - it’s all woven together. We sing and smile and feel warm thinking of Christmas being totally ignorant or ignoring what is happening there. There is no Christmas in Bethlehem. The entire time I listened to the music and fought back the tears. I’ve been reading all this stuff on the Middle-East and Israel - In the name of God we flaunt our personal desires and agenda and act as forceful as men without God. A wall is going through Bethlehem, there are so many checkpoints it’s all but killed the economy of Bethlehem and of course the terrorists haven’t helped any, but they aren’t the only problem.

This is my prayer.  Father, as a follower of Jesus, may love and peace pull people together who want to follow your Spirit and serve that community so that one day it will once again be said from Bethlehem “Peace on earth - good will toward men.”