Striving for peace doesn’t rely on our fame or might. It relies on our faith and trust. NPR interviewed Israelis and Palestinians about a month after the Hamas attack that sparked all-out war and they decided to follow up with those same folks two years later. Oded Adomi Leshem is an Israeli political psychologist. He says that before we ask whether peace is possible or not, we need to ask another question. “We need to ask if it’s desirable, then it becomes possible.” Amazingly, when people’s hearts are healed enough to want peace, they move closer to peace itself. A Palestinian man, Yousef Bashir, was taught by his father to never become hateful or vengeful. He carries grief, but he won’t give up on his dreams for a shared peace. He’s already sharing those dreams with his own children.
An Israeli man named Maoz Inon lived in a community that was part of that first Hamas attack in 2023. And still – he believes that peace is not just possible: it’s inevitable. He had two dreams that he sees as visions. In the first, he saw: “tears washing away the bloodshed on all sides and bringing healing.” In the second he witnessed a star that was peace incarnate. It felt so real, so powerful to him that it convinced him that peace is within reach if only we choose it. The star said, “You just need to follow me.” Peace is growing in their hearts because you can’t make peace without peace. It’s not “speak softly and carry a big stick.” It’s “speak softly and listen softly and follow the Lord”
