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December 23, 2004

Peace on Earth!

Christmas is a wonderful time for friends and family to gather, exchange gifts and enjoy one another’s company. This festive aspect of the holiday gets considerable attention. It seems that every year the commercialism crowds out more and more the religious nature of the celebration.

One need not be an evangelical Christian to acknowledge that “peace on earth, goodwill to men” is a sound message for everyone. Armed conflict is underway in Iraq, Israel and Palestine, the Congo, Sudan, Spain, the Ivory Coast, Afghanistan and other countries. “Wars and rumors of wars,” seem to be the normal condition for human beings.

Is it realistic to expect more from human nature? Can human beings really live in peace and harmony or are they genetically wired to resort quickly to violence to achieve their ends? A common response to criticism is, “I’m not perfect, I’m only human.” It is generally accepted that the human condition is to be imperfect.

However, Jesus of Nazareth seems to suggest otherwise. He states in Matthew 5:48, “be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.” This injunction comes after a number of instructions about the proper conduct in various circumstances, but what is surprising is the suggestion that humans are capable of divine perfection. Such a suggestion might even seem blasphemous to some.

One thing is certain. Jesus’ statement certainly raises a question about the potential for human attainment. The assertion, “I’m only human” now sounds like nothing more than a rationalization for failure. How can that attitude be acceptable when divine perfection is possible?

One might claim that Jesus’ injunction referred only to the instructions delivered in His sermon on the mount. Those instructions should be executed perfectly just as the Heavenly Father might do them. But would that effort not cause the human being to rise above the limitations of human imperfection?

The works of geniuses and the wondrous works of saints create an awareness that most humans do not reach their full potential. Will there ever be “peace on earth” until society is organized to have every human being understand that they are potentially divine? The real work of society, then, is to help every person attain perfection and the “peace of God, which passeth all understanding…”

Emerging competition

These two facts are generally agreed upon by most analysts. The first is that business is becoming increasingly global. The second is that technology innovation will create an enormous advantage for the business leader in the global market.

As the last remaining super power, the United States enjoys a dominant position in the world economy. Most Americans are confident that the nation will continue to enjoy this economic position well into the future.

A prerequisite for maintaining this dominance is that the students in the United States are the best educated in math and science. According to the latest study by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, fourth and eighth grade students in the United States fall short of the math and science achievement of comparable students in other industrial nations.

It would be unwise for the United States to ignore this deficiency. This country can ill afford to have the base for technological innovation shift to some other nation.

 

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