THE REAL MEANING OF PEACE

There once was a king who offered a prize to theartist who would paint the best picture of Peace. Many artists tried. The king looked at all the pictures. But there were only two he really liked, and he had to choose between them.

One picture was of a calm lake. The lake was a perfect mirror for peaceful towering mountains all around it.Overhead was a blue sky with fluffy white clouds. All who saw this picture thought that itwas a perfect picture of peace. The other picture had mountains, too. But these were rugged and bare. Above was an angry sky, from which rain fell and in which lightning played. Down the side of the mountain tumbled a foaming waterfall. This did not look peaceful at all. But when the king looked closely, he saw behind the waterfall a tiny bush growing in a crack in the rock.In the bush a mother bird had built her nest. There, in the midst of the rush of angry water, sat the mother bird on her nest in perfect peace. Which picture do you think won the prize?

The king chose the second picture. Do you know why? "Because," explained the king, "Peace does not mean to be in a place where there is no noise, trouble, orhard work. Peace means to be in the midst of all those things and still be calm in your heart. That is the real meaning of peace."

Author Unknown: If you are having trouble in your life and don't feelthe peace of God in your heart, then I encourage youto ponder on Proverbs 3:5-8 "Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine ownunderstanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil. It shall behealth to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones."