How can I not choose Christ?
Martha Olawale
“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
As I flipped from one TV channel to another, the conversations threw jabs at my already weary heart. It felt like the world would lose its footing the next minute. I was so overwhelmed that I just muted it. They were conflict-driven, life-sapping, and hope-depriving. For a moment, I thought to myself, how can the world know peace when we’ve made mortals our source without acknowledging the Kingship of Christ? After all, He is the only Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6) who has walked this path without faltering.
The choice would be easy if we objectively weigh the options of walking with Christ alone or following the world’s dictate. I believe peace has been and still is the scarcest human emotion. We’ll pay anything to spend just a day with it. Nations sign peace treaties that hang in the balance of being shredded, and homes built on love sometimes turn into battlegrounds despite marriage agreements. Because of our pride, humanity has tilted the balance of its existence to rely on our impoverished minds, creating constant chaos in our lives and the world.
With the bit of wisdom still dominant in me, as a creation of a good God, I chose Christ because He first chose me. Christ offers peace, and the world offers everything against peace. The world says I should have a million reasons to fear, and Christ says I have a single reason to enjoy peace: follow. When I ride on the waves, He says He’ll be my peace, and when giants face me, He says He’ll fight for me.
Fear may live at my doorstep, but I have the key in my hands and choose to lock it out. Everything in life speaks to the brokenness and limitations of my humanity: fear, anxiety, envy, impatience, and a long list of my sinful nature. However, everything about my redemption speaks to the possibility of me being an extraordinary being created for the sole purpose of living for God. With the satisfaction of being His child, how can I not choose Christ when the alternatives lack peace, righteousness, joy, and hope in this life and eternity?
