Good News or Fake News: Peace — Real News with Integrity

By Drake Hunter | Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice

If hope teaches us to look forward, then peace teaches us how to stand firm right now.

But here’s the tension every Coloradan feels—especially during the holidays: We live in a culture that profits from our anxiety. Fear sells. Outrage spreads. And when everything is loud, peace is mistaken for passivity… when in reality, peace is a kind of strength, a power that shapes who you are. Therefore, the question for you is, “What source is shaping who you are—the Good News or the fake news?” Because trusting the Good News builds confidence in the peace you carry.

Or in other words, PEACE is Real News with Integrity. It’s not fragile. Peace is not the absence of conflict. Simply, peace is the inner integrity of a life aligned with truth.

On the other hand, fake news fractures people, whereas Good News puts them back together.

To understand this deeper peace, we explore three connected realities: First, Peace as Wholeness. Wholeness means nothing is missing and nothing is masked. It’s when your outer life and inner life stop contradicting one another.

It’s when you stop being shaped by headlines and start being shaped by what is actually true. What is true? Your schedule, story, and succession.

Unfortunately, for most, their schedules fragment their lives with too many demands. Their story remains meaningless, never revealing what matters most, and succession is never realized beyond the temporary noise of life, where the peace of Eternity’s Curtain never opens. 

Peace as wholeness is what happens when you realize the moment you’re living is part of a much bigger story—one not dictated by fear, frenzy, or spin. Wholeness is real news with integrity: truth that doesn’t shatter under pressure but realizes it’s a whole dimension rather than a destination. 

Second, Peace as Completion. Completion is not having everything arranged perfectly. Completion is being steady enough to live faithfully within what is present. Therefore, your schedule causes us to say: “You’re behind. Catch up.” Your story whispers: “This moment is enough,” and succession with Eternity in mind reminds us: “The full picture is bigger than you’ll ever know, relax and rest in goodness.”

On the other hand, fake news thrives on unfinished narratives—speculation, assumption, hot takes. Whereas, Good News brings clarity. It completes the story. What do I mean, Christmas is the perfect example: Centuries of longing fulfilled quietly in a Bethlehem night. Makes sense, right?

Completion is peace that comes from trusting the bigger story—a story shaped by integrity, not manipulation.

Finally, we have Peace as Fulfillment. Fulfillment is the intersection point where: Who you are, Why you exist, and What God is doing…finally come into view, schedule, story, and succession! Fulfillment isn’t instant gratification. It’s not emotional escape. It is what happens when time (schedule) collides with meaning (story), revealing the quiet work of eternity (succession). Christmas reminds us that fulfillment doesn’t always show up on our schedule— but it always arrives right on time.

Thus, fake news stirs panic. Good News fulfills promise. Let’s all live in the promise! 

Now the question is, “Where does Peace and Christmas Meet?” Well, in a divided world—politically, economically, socially—peace can feel unrealistic. But Christmas peace is different: It is stable. It is grounded. It is unshakeable. It brings: Wholeness to what is broken, Completion to what is unfinished, and Fulfillment to what feels empty, giving a sense of security and steadiness.

This kind of peace cannot be engineered into a schedule, a story, or a succession plan. It must be received. This truth is peace with integrity—the peace that cannot be spun, edited, or manufactured, encouraging humility and openness to God’s gift.

To all our RMV family, friends, and fans, know Peace is possible even in a noisy state. As we continue Advent, reflect on how trusting in the Good News can bring calm amid chaos. This week’s guiding question remains: “What source is shaping your peace—the Good News or the fake news?” When your trust is rooted in Christ’s promise, your life becomes whole, your story becomes complete, and your purpose is fulfilled in everyday moments.

That is real news with integrity. Therefore, let’s take heed to the words of our Lord and Savior, Jesus:

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. ~ John 14:27

Pastor Drake

Editor’s note: Opinions expressed in commentary pieces are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the management of the Rocky Mountain Voice, but even so we support the constitutional right of the author to express those opinions.