By Cindy Korf of Yuma, Colorado, USA
Who is wise and understanding among you? Show by your good life that your works are done with gentleness born of wisdom. But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without a trace of partiality or hypocrisy. And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace for those who make peace.
(shared as part of the International Leaders Meeting, June 2025)
When I worked in the county attorney’s office, my job was to work with the victims. Once, there were two boys who attempted to kill two women. I went to the hospital to meet them. One woman, hooked up to life support, told me her parents were traveling a long distance and would be in court. They wanted no publicity and wanted me to keep the reporters and TV cameras away from them. I said yes.
I went to the courtroom and waited among the maddening crowd of reporters and TV cameras from all across the state. I kept looking for her parents, even though I did not know what they looked like. Suddenly, I saw a man and a woman. People were swarming them. The woman started crying and covered her face. The man wrapped his arms around her as microphones were shoved into their faces. I hurried over to them and asked, “Are you the parents?” They nodded. I said, “I was asked to keep you away from the crowds.” I led them away from the crowd toward the county attorney’s office. I opened the door. We stepped inside. The woman sobbed. The man said, “I don’t understand. I don’t understand.” The woman looked at me with reddened eyes and asked, “What will happen?”
I was ready to tell her what the charges and outcomes were against the two boys when she whimpered. “My son. My son.”
I stood in shock. I had the wrong parents! I could lose my job for talking to them. And what about the victim’s parents whom I was to meet? What do I do? It was then that the Spirit softly moved me to comfort these two people and to offer sanctuary from the condemning public outside. I waited with them, then I quietly led them out a side door.
As it turned out, the victim’s parents never made it to court. They stayed at the hospital with their daughter. And the county attorney never knew I was with the defendant’s parents. God places us where God needs us. We just need to have faith and respond.
Prayer Phrase
“For in him all things…were created…” (Colossians 1:16).
The International Community
Find (or imagine) a globe or map of the world. Look at all the nations and find a country other than your own. Notice the geographic distance between your homeland and this one. Picture a person living there. Pray for this person. Sense God’s love connecting you just as the oceans connect the continents. Thank God for the spiritual connection you have with all of God’s people around the globe. Ask a blessing on the church as a community sharing Christ’s peace, drawing all into the family of God.
Today’s Prayer for Peace
Engage in a daily practice of praying for peace in our world. Click here to read today’s prayer and be part of this practice of peace.