I have been dwelling on the familiar imagery from Isaiah: the lion lying down with the lamb. It paints a beautiful picture of peace, a world transformed. I think we tend to turn the lion into a lamb. It’s like we remove all the strength and power and turn it into a kitten, almost a lamblion! But what if the lion doesn’t become a lamb itself? What if it retains its leonine nature, its power, its inherent wildness, yet chooses not to consume the lamb?
Imagine this: the lion, magnificent and formidable, with its powerful roar and sharp claws, remains a lion. It doesn’t suddenly become docile or vegetarian. Its nature isn’t fundamentally altered. The lamb, small and seemingly vulnerable, remains a lamb. It doesn’t grow fearsome teeth or develop a thick hide.
The change isn’t in their inherent natures, but in their relationship. The lion, driven by an inner strength, chooses restraint. It possesses the power to consume, but it chooses, instead, to coexist. The lamb, perhaps instinctively wary, finds itself in the presence of raw power, yet remains unharmed.
This image offers a different perspective on peace. It’s not about everything becoming the same, losing its unique characteristics. It’s about the strong choosing to protect the vulnerable, not through weakness, but through conscious, powerful restraint. It’s about the recognition of inherent worth and the choice to honour it, even when the power dynamic heavily favours one side.
This kind of peace isn’t naive. It acknowledges the reality of power, the potential for harm. But it highlights the transformative power of choice. The lion’s peace isn’t weakness; it’s strength under control. It’s a testament to a higher order of being, a world where power is tempered by compassion, where difference doesn’t necessitate destruction, and where even the most vulnerable can find safety in the presence of the strong. It’s a peace built not on sameness, but on respect. It’s a peace that acknowledges the lion’s roar, but chooses to hear, instead, the quiet bleating of the lamb, and chooses, ultimately, to protect it.
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