Devotional Three: Peace

Series Introduction: In Galatians 5:22-23, the Apostle Paul writes about the qualities of a maturing Christian. He uses the metaphor of fruit to describe how these godly character traits should grow in the life of a Christian. As we prepare for our spring production of Hello, Dolly!, these devotionals will explore how each of the qualities of the Christian faith are played out in the plot, themes, and characters of this classic Broadway musical. May the Lord use these devotionals to help you understand and grow in the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. 

 “Turn away from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.”   –Psalm 34:14 

“Ninety-nine percent of the people in this world are fools...and the rest of us are in great danger of contamination! Why, even I was once young, which was foolish...and was poor which was more foolish than anything else...I became rich, friendless, and mean...”  –Horace Vandergelder, Hello, Dolly! 

A curmudgeon. A miser. A Scrooge. These words describe Mr. Horace Vandergelder throughout much of the musical. He sees the world as full of fools and half-wits who endanger the rest of us. He treats others around him, including his employees Cornelius and Barnaby, as less than, and he only seeks to marry again to secure a housekeeper: “...marriage is a bribe to make a housekeeper think she’s householder.” Horace is doing little more than assuring his own power and comfort. 

As the Scripture passage above states, the Christian faith calls us to “turn away from evil and do good.” Seeking the best for others (what we have defined as love in a previous devotional) can only truly come when one has peace within oneself, and peace is one of the fruits of the Spirit that marks a maturing Christian. Peace for the Christian doesn’t lack trouble or fear in this still-broken world. In fact, Christ promised us suffering and trouble if we were to seek to follow him: “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation” (John 16:33a). Thankfully, there is a second half to this verse: “But take heart; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33b). When we are called to follow Christ, we are called to follow in His suffering as well. However, unlike Horace Vandergelder, whose peace resides only in himself and the monetary wealth he has accumulated around himself, the maturing Christian has all the promises of Christ and the Scriptures to provide peace during times of trouble. 

Only in the final moment does Horace realize that his wealth has landed him all alone. Unlike Dolly, Horace has seen all too late that the parade of life has passed him by. He is alone with his cash register. He has lost his niece, his employees, and his one chance of redemption in a relationship with Dolly. Thankfully, this comedy ends with a moment of realization in which Horace comes to understand that human connection outshines money in so many ways. May Horace and his lack of peace be an example to us all as we live out the Christian life in this world of trouble.