There once was a King who offered a prize to the artist who would paint the
best picture of peace. Many artists tried. The King looked
at all the pictures, but there were only two he really liked and he had to
choose between them.
One picture was of a calm lake. The lake was a perfect mirror for peaceful
towering mountains were all around it. Overhead was a blue sky with
fluffy white clouds. All who saw this picture thought that it was a
perfect picture of peace.
The other picture had mountains too. But these were rugged and bare.
Above was an angry sky from which rain fell, and in which lightning played.
Down the side of the mountain tumbled a foaming waterfall. This did
not look peaceful at all. But when the King looked, he saw behind the
waterfall a tiny bush growing in a crack in the rock. In the bush a
mother bird had built her nest. There, in the midst of the rush of
angry water, sat the mother bird on her nest ... Perfect peace.
Which picture do you think won the prize?
The King chose the second picture. Do you know why? "Because,"
explained the King, "peace does not mean to be in a place where there is no
noise, trouble, or hard work. Peace means to be in the midst of all
those things and still be calm in your heart. That is the real meaning
of peace."
This true peace can only come from the presence of Jesus living in your heart,
all other things that seem to bring peace are temporary.
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