Peace that isn’t on loan
Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you; not as the world gives, I give to you. Don’t let your heart be troubled, neither let it be fearful.
Jesus spoke these words on the night before the cross. His friends were confused, the city was tense, and the worst was hours away. It is a strange moment to talk about peace.
That is exactly the point. The world gives peace the way a bank gives a loan: on conditions, for a while, and with the expectation that it will be taken back. When the conditions change, the peace goes.
Jesus says his peace is different. It is a gift, not a loan. It rests on who he is rather than on how the day is going.
Two instructions
Notice that the verse ends with two instructions: don't let your heart be troubled, and don't let it be fearful. Jesus treats our hearts as something we can tend. We can't always stop worry arriving, but we can choose not to let it settle in and make itself at home.
Today, when a worry knocks, try answering it with this verse. Say it out loud if you can.