The message the angels delivered proclaimed a peace that the One who had just been born in Bethlehem would give to those who would come to know Him as Savior and Lord.

With freedoms eroding, politicians disagreeing, and families disintegrating, peace is elusive. In a world filled with war and violence, people want control. But, anxiety, stress, worry, and fear that are caused by external things are not in our control. Ottawa County has felt this too. There is no violence or war per say, but a divisiveness and unsettling. People strive to control, strive to change people around them, thinking it will create peace or some sort of unity.

Many county residents have come before the Ottawa County Board of Commissioners upset that some commissioners bring their Christianity into the room—as if Christians could just take it off at the door before entering the room. This is until the Board does something that they don’t like. Feeling out of control, those same upset residents will stand at the podium and twist scripture in the hopes of guilting the Christian commissioners into doing what they want. They’re hoping to control the Christian commissioners by shaming them with Bible verses used out of context. Unfortunately, the shaming will not bring peace.

This is why Christ’s birth is so very important. The peace Jesus came to bring was the peace of reconciliation with God, a peace that would also bring the possibility of reconciliation with men.