The more things change, the more trouble I have staying the same.
As the new year begins, I was fascinated by this list of statistics for 1915. Only one hundred plus a few years ago.
I’m not sure how accurate this numbers are, but they do represent the amount of change over the last century.
The average life expectancy for men was 47 years.
Fuel for cars was sold in drug stores only.
Only 14 percent of the homes had a bathtub.
Only 8 percent of the homes had a telephone.
The maximum speed limit in most cities was 10 mph.
The tallest structure in the world was the Eiffel Tower.
The average US wage in 1910 was 22 cents per hour.
The average US worker made between $200 and $400 per year .
More than 95 percent of all births took place at home …
Ninety percent of all Doctors had no college education.
Eggs were fourteen cents a dozen.
Coffee was fifteen cents a pound.
Most women only washed their hair once a month, and used Borax or egg yolks for shampoo.
The Five leading causes of death were:
1. Pneumonia and influenza
2. Tuberculosis
3. Diarrhea
4. Heart disease
5. Stroke
The American flag had 45 stars.
The population of Las Vegas , Nevada was only 30.
Crossword puzzles, canned beer, and iced tea hadn’t been invented yet.
While the pace of change in the world doesn’t show any indication of slowing down, the question that faces us as it did those who have gone on before us is, “How can we find peace?”
When the angels heralded Jesus’ birth they sang of “Peace on earth.” Jesus is reported to have said, “My peace I give you is not as the world gives (or tries to).” John 14. Wonderful imagery, but hard to find. Even as I write these words, my heart cries out, “Just where is that peace, you angels?” “Jesus! If you gave it, where can I get it?”
Jesus’ understanding of peace and the one referenced in the angelic story is a far deeper understanding of peace than I can usually obtain. The Jewish word is Shalom, which has an internal and a relational meaning. It’s not just calm, like stilling a turbulent world or personal life. No matter how frustrated I become with the world or my own life, my frustration does not bring transformation. It affects the world no more than the weather.
You may not be able to find peace, but as best I can tell from all that I’ve read and observed so far in my changing life, if you can bring Shalom into the moments of your life, no one can take it from you without your permission.Though personal peace is something that won’t bring rapid change to the world, it is a peace that the world can’t touch. Shalom is a regardless calm, irrelevant to the winds of weather or the winds of change. It’s more than my wish for the world, it is my resolve. Yours, too?
