Organized sports need ref-erees and umpires. These unbiased officials make decisions on plays, fouls, and other points of order to keep games fair and entertaining. We might not always agree with the calls they make, but things could get chaotic without them.

Paul says, “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts.” The word for “rule” here literally means “to act like an umpire.” In this way we can see that the peace of Christ, a result of working things out through God’s wisdom and love, is our reliable guide for decision making and daily living. With the peace of Christ as our guide and goal, we can follow God’s way of goodness, righteousness, and justice for all.

But we often mess things up. The peace of Christ is not always present in our marriages, families, churches, workplaces, and neighborhoods. We often act in line with our old sinful nature instead of seeking God’s wisdom and his peace.

People sometimes think of peace as the absence of war. But it’s far more—it’s about the way things are supposed to be. Having peace in our lives means living into all that Jesus represents, keeping in step with the Spirit of God who has come to live in us (see Galatians 5:22-26).

In our worship today, may the peace of Christ fill our hearts as we sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. And may we live by his wisdom and real peace in all our relationships.