“To the saints and faithful brothers and sisters in Christ who are at Colossae: 
Grace to you and peace from God our Father.”
~~Colossians 1:2~~

As I looked at this verse this morning, I pondered whether the description “faithful sister” could be said of me. (Pistos) is the Greek word for “faith/faithful” and it describes a person in whom faith or trust is reposed. As is usually the case for me, I never want to assume I know what a word means, so I looked it up in the dictionary.  Webster defined it as a state of resting after exertion or strain; peace and tranquility; (and here’s the one that snagged me) composure of manner.  Hmmmmm.  Pausing to ponder…Would people be able to tell that I belong to God by the way I “react” to things?  Am I composed? Or am I a “freaker-outer”?  Can you say OUCH?!  Yeah, me too.  

As I studied on, the little word “from” became another “ouch” for me.  In Greek, “from” (apo) means, off, from one’s own disposition, of himself.  “Peace from God” means that God is giving me of Himself…it’s HIS peace, from His own disposition.  He lives IN me, so His peace should flow from His Spirit to, and then through, me.  His peace should be evident.  So… if I am not “reposing” peace and tranquility, then it’s me who is blocking the flow of God’s peace.  Jesus said MY peace I give to you, not as the world gives (based on circumstances).  God’s peace is not from the outside in, but from the inside out.  

So, faithful brothers and sisters, don’t allow self and a human perspective to clog the flow of God’s peace from His heart to yours. 

“So from now on we regard no one (nothing)
 from a worldy (human) point of view.”
~~2 Corinthians 5:16~~