Friend, Luke tells us that when the angel showed up that night, the first words out of heaven’s mouth were not a command, not a warning, and not a lecture. They were these simple, steady words from Luke 2:10: “Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.”

I love that God knew fear would be the first thing those shepherds felt. And I love even more that He didn’t shame them for it. He didn’t say, “Get it together.” He said, “Fear not.” Almost like a hand on the shoulder in the dark.

You see, that’s how God still speaks to us. Right in the middle of our worry. Right in the middle of the night shift. Right in the middle of the field where we’re just trying to do our job and survive another day.

And notice what follows the command not to fear. Good tidings of great joy. Not small joy. Not borrowed joy. Not temporary joy. Great joy. Heaven-sized joy. And the angel makes sure we don’t miss this part — which shall be to all people. That means you’re not disqualified. Your past doesn’t cancel it. Your doubts don’t diminish it. Your weariness doesn’t disqualify you from it.

That night, joy didn’t come to a palace. It came to a pasture. It didn’t come to the powerful. It came to the ordinary. And it still does.

So if fear has been whispering a little louder than faith lately, hear the words of the angel as if they’re spoken just for you today: Fear not. God has good news. Joy is on the way. And it’s meant for you.

Jesus says in John 14:27, “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”

That verse hits different when life is noisy. The world offers peace that depends on circumstances. If the bills are paid, if the doctor’s report is good, if everybody gets along, then maybe we feel peaceful. But Jesus offers a different kind of peace. His peace is not fragile. It does not evaporate when trouble shows up uninvited.

Notice what He says. “My peace.” This is the same peace that slept in a boat during a storm. The same peace that stood silent before accusers. The same peace that trusted the Father all the way to the cross. And Jesus says He gives that peace to us.

He does not say life will be trouble free. He says your heart does not have to be ruled by trouble. Fear does not get the final word. Worry does not get to set up camp in your soul.

So today, take a slow breath. Release what you cannot control. Sit in the presence of the One who never left you. Let His peace settle your spirit like evening shade on a hot porch.

You are not alone. You are not forgotten. And you are not without peace. Jesus already gave it to you.

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God. Matthew 5:9.

Friend, peace does not usually show up with a lot of noise. It does not bang on the door or demand the last word. Most of the time, peace slips quietly onto the porch and waits for someone willing to invite it in.

Jesus did not say blessed are the peace lovers or the peace wishers. He said blessed are the peacemakers. That tells me peace is not automatic. It is intentional. It is something you choose, especially when everything in you wants to react, defend, or prove a point.

I have learned that being a peacemaker does not mean you avoid hard conversations. It means you walk into them with a different spirit. It means you value relationships more than winning. It means you slow your words, soften your tone, and ask God to guard your heart before your mouth ever opens.

On the porch, peace looks like taking a breath before you speak. It looks like listening instead of interrupting. It looks like letting God be your defender while you choose grace.

And Jesus makes a promise here. He says peacemakers will be called the children of God. In other words, when you choose peace, you look like your Father. You reflect His heart to a world that is tired of noise, arguments, and division.

So today, wherever there is tension, invite peace to sit down with you. Let your words carry grace. Let your response reflect heaven. When you make peace, you walk in blessing, and you remind the world whose child you are.