Peace
If we only understood the power of the word peace and its importance in our lives. Unfortunately, most of us have a very shallow or superficial view of this word. We see it as someone just “tiptoeing through the daisies,” as the great Tiny Tim used to sing. Or we associate it with people who are kind of flaky and detached from the real world who are not really engaged in real life but rather are living in their own alternative universe.
But that’s not what real peace means at all. It’s so much more than simply the absence of conflict or serenity. In fact, in biblical times, the Hebrew word for peace was shalom, and the Greek word was eirene. These words take on a whole new meaning and go a whole new level that can impact every area of our lives—in our relationships, our businesses, our finances, even our
goals and dreams. The true meaning of peace can affect our decision-making process—how and why we make the decisions we’re making.
True, genuine peace isn’t just the absence of conflict; it’s the result of something even better in its place. In other words, true peace means to be complete or whole. It’s not just simply stopping a bloody mess, but replacing it with something that makes it even better than it was before. Restored to be more beneficial more valuable than it was in the past.
Shalom refers to a stone that has perfect shape with no cracks or a wall that has no gaps or missing pieces. It also refers to something that has complexity and perhaps many moving pieces but remains in a state of completeness or wholeness. In other words, it’s complete—nothing is missing. As an example, to bring shalom to a broken relationship is more than simply the stopping of the fighting; rather, it’s a healing so strong that two people actually start working for each other’s own benefit, creating an even deeper, stronger bond.
Unfortunately, in my career, I’ve been around far too many businesses that are experiencing anything but shalom. When I first moved into the business community, I was under the impression that every businessman had his stuff together and knew all the ins and outs of running a business.
To my surprise, it’s anything but that. I’ve found that most business owners (much like anything else in life) have no idea how to run a business. They know their skill sets and industries proficiently but have no idea how to build a business around it. Instead, what most do is just wing it and build it to a certain point that it just survives and limps along. Most of the time, that creates a life of stress, not only for themselves but for their staff members, as well as their families, who have to live with them through this process. In other words, their businesses run them rather than them running their business.
Some are so overwhelmed and stressed they don’t even want to face or deal with the realities of what they’ve created or what it has evolved into. They don’t have a clue what’s really going on and many times are afraid to find out. Can you say “disaster?”
Let’s be honest. What I’ve described is how most relationships get start- ed. We have no idea what we’re doing, but the dreams and fantasies of it sound so good. Then, in no time, bammm! The honeymoon phase is short- lived, and then reality raises its ugly head.
Is the concept of true shalom peace even realistic? Or is that just pie-in- the-sky thinking, and we just have to learn to suck it up and deal with the cards we’re handed?
Well, I can honestly tell you with full and complete confidence that shalom is not only possible; it’s expected. Think on that for a second: it’s not simply an option or an opportunity, it’s expected! And if you can approach your life with that type of attitude of “expectation,” rather than simply sticking the proverbial toe in the water for a try-it-and-see approach, you’ll be amazed at the results.
I’ve been so bold as to lay out some tips that I’ve learned over the years as a business owner, a father, and a friend. I’ve come to realize that truth is truth. It applies whether in business, with family, or with friends. People are people. No matter their role or function in our lives, the principles still work.
Here are the tips:
- Stop the bleeding now! Don’t wait till it’s too late. The longer you wait, the weaker it becomes—to the point of either paralysis or even death being just around the corner.
- Burn the bridges. Don’t give yourself any other outs. Make the decision that it’s do or die, sink or swim. Have an “I’m gonna make this happen one way or another” kind of determination.
- Be honest with yourself. This is probably the biggest challenge of all. We love to play games with ourselves and allow ourselves to get distracted when it’s convenient.
- Set aside the emotions. We use emotions to discourage others, or intimidate them, or make them feel guilty so the truth bombs don’t hurt so bad. Just take it! As the old Southern say’n goes, “Suck it up, buttercup.”
- Be willing to listen. This is one of the most underdeveloped and misunderstood skills, but I’m convinced it’s one of the most powerful gifts anyone can have.
- Make the tough decisions. The toughest are those that are not self-serving but are right.
- Be willing to make changes. The biggest and most important come from inside.
Expect shalom to permeate every aspect of your life: marriage, family, friends, business, and most
importantly, your relationship with God. You’ll find that the last one is honestly the answer for
all the others; it’s the very essence of shalom….just say’n!
