I believe world peace is something everyone would like to see. And there is something extraordinarily peaceful about Christmas. 

Amid the horrors of World War I, there occurred a unique truce when for a few hours, enemies behaved like brothers.

Christmas Eve in 1914 was all quiet on France’s Western Front, from the English Channel to the Swiss Alps. Trenches came within 50 miles of Paris. 

The war was only five months old and approximately 800,000 men had been wounded or killed. 

Every soldier wondered whether or not Christmas Day would bring another round of fighting and killing. 

But something happened: British soldiers raised “Merry Christmas” signs above the trenches, and soon carols were heard from German and British trenches alike.

Christmas dawned with unarmed soldiers leaving their trenches, though officers of both sides tried unsuccessfully to stop their troops from meeting the enemy in the middle of “no-man’s land” for songs and conversation. 

Exchanging small gifts, they passed Christmas Day peacefully along miles of the front. At one spot, the British played soccer with the Germans, who won 3-2.

In some places, the spontaneous truce continued the next day as neither side was willing to fire the first shot. 

Finally, the war resumed when fresh troops arrived, and the high command of both armies ordered that further “informal understanding” with the enemy would be punishable as treason.

Isaiah prophesied that when Jesus was born on that first Christmas morn, He would bring peace to the world. Isaiah 9:6 says, “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon His shoulder: and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, the mighty God, the everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace.” 

We need the Prince of Peace more now than ever. 

In the last 400 years, European nations have signed more than 8,000 peace treaties. 

Yet wars continue and millions have been killed due to man’s false peace. 

With all that is going on in the world many people are wondering, “Will we ever have peace?” 

The answer is both yes and no. 

Yes, because Jesus, the Prince of Peace, can give you a peace that doesn’t depend on your circumstances. Philippians 4:7 tells us: “The peace of God, which passes all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” 

However, as long as mankind is in charge, they will continue having international meetings, signing peace treaties and fighting each other. 

So, this Christmas season, it is my prayer that you will look beyond the false peace of political leaders and fallible men and look to the true Prince of Peace. 

Merry Christmas!

Rev. Doug Johnson is the senior pastor at Raven Assembly of God in Raven, Virginia.