“That’s mine!”
“No, I saw it first; it’s mine!” And so the quarrels begin at the earliest ages and continue on.

Just watch two-year-olds when you take away something they want. If they were any bigger, they might knock your head off! And in some cases, that action is exactly what adults will do too. Most of us, left to our natural bent, will envy, hate, and fight with others to get what we want.

In our time, we have seen wars and fights among nations and tribes. Bosnia, Uganda, the Balkans. People who share the same land and ancestry killing each other. Ancient vendettas played out over generations.

In our country we see a different kind of battle—a battle within the soul, a restless struggle that is against an enemy who is imbedded and far more subtle.

The book of James reminds us that the true source of war and fighting is revealed to be within us. “What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you?” (James 4). Left to the natural selfishness in our own hearts, we will destroy ourselves and each other.

Until we discover the “expulsive power of a new affection,”—the only desire that leads to peace—the battle will continue. I pray that Jesus, the Prince of Peace, establishes his rule and reigns in me and the hearts of men and women everywhere. Until that happens, we will play out the familiar story with the same sad ending. I heard this simple saying that sums up the solution: “Tell me what you think you want, and I’ll tell you what you really need. It’s Jesus. Tell me what you think you need and I’ll tell you what you really want. It’s Jesus.”

Now comes the difficult part…to convince the two-year-old in each of us of this truth!