Shalom

The first time I visited my daughter in Vietnam, I was content to let her take the lead and get me wherever we wanted to go. Everything about it was very different from home or any place I’d ever visited in Europe. But on my second trip, I knew I’d have to be on my own when I ventured out, since my daughter would be occupied (giving birth and taking care of her little one). So I got myself a SIM card for my phone, instead of depending on Becky to use hers, downloaded an App so I could get a taxi, learned how to use Google maps to save the locations of some key places I might need, and got better acquainted with Vietnamese money. Becky showed me how to locate the ATM, the grocery store, the bakery, the store that had baby supplies, and a couple of restaurants that I might like. While Becky was in the hospital, I finally ventured out of her house by myself for the first time, to a coffee shop called “Shalom”. It wasn’t the type of place I expected to find in Vietnam, but there it was. I felt blessed to find it, and even more blessed that I was able to order my breakfast, pay with cash, enjoy a peaceful meal, and made it back to the house without getting lost!

A few weeks after coming back home, I heard the word “shalom” again at a conference, where the speaker (Paul Martini) talked about the meaning of the Hebrew letters making up the word. There are four letters in the word:

Shin- to destroy

Lamed- control, authority

Vav-secure, nail, attach

Mem-mighty, big, or chaos

So by using the greeting “shalom”, a person is saying, “destroy the authority attached to chaos.” It’s much more than simply saying, “peace.” The more I thought about it, the more it made sense to me. If I allow the chaos in the world to have authority in my life, I would not experience much peace, would I? How do I destroy the authority attached to chaos? The good news is I don’t have to do it. God is the One who gives us peace. His peace can destroy the authority attached to chaos in our lives. Jesus is the Prince of Peace. That’s His job!

You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You,

because he trusts in You

Isaiah 26:3

Peace is the result of God’s presence in my life. It is the state of those who love the Word of God. So it's to my benefit to make more time for God’s Word. The lesson on “shalom” was a real revelation to me. I pray it speaks to you too.

Great peace have those who love your law,

and nothing can make them stumble.

Psalm 119:165

Peace,

Nancy