NOTE: If you have not read Part 1 go here to read Must We Be Fighting?
To continue a reflection on “verbal fighting”, which is often the foundation of much physical violence today, as a possible new virtue to be pursued in our culture, I want to return to the thought that evil has been defeated. I suggest that when we truly believe this, it will have an impact on our way of living in today’s culture. Paul’s letter to the Colossians reminds us of this as he encourages those believers to remember that Jesus “triumphed”1 over evil through his crucifixion and His resurrection. Thus, we are back on the “two rails” of viewing this “fight” for our own personal faith, and the command to love others.
While considering this struggle we do experience in our culture, I do not dismiss our “detesting”2 of evil, I look at another encouragement of Paul found in his letter to the Roman church. I do suggest we should consider that reference to “detest” as an internal reflection that becomes an external expression through the filter of Christ’s love we demonstrate towards others. However, Paul reminds us that extending love to those who we may see as an “enemy”, is akin to “heaping fiery coals”3 on their head. Paul earlier in that chapter also encourages us to “bless those who persecute you”4. It may be appropriate to consider summarizing these verses in context of what we are considering as follows; love wins where fighting fails. However, that summarization fails when our motivation is to win and not to love as obedient followers of Christ!
As a reminder…. I do not write these type of blog entries with the intent on changing anyone’s thoughts, beliefs, or actions. My intent in writing is to only share a “conversation” of sorts, with the reader. My only desire is for the reader to hear what I am sharing, consider it in their own way, and allow themselves to respond in how they are lead. My personal stance, as a Christian, is that I will never intend to change another individual in their thoughts or actions; any change or response in their life should only occur through their own personal relationship with God; it is individually personal. So, onto the closing paragraphs…..
My statements are not intended to communicate that we should not be involved in desiring to see a change in our culture, our political system, or any other civil matters we feel passionate about; what I do consider in my own life is how do I engage with our society to promote change. My belief understands the most productive approach is one that is centered in mutual respect through an obedience of Christ’s command to love “all” others. Christ Himself instructed us that “they will know”5 us by our love. When we “verbally” address others with a tone of disrespect, judgment, or ridicule, we blend into the current social discourse with no perceived difference.
I close by entering back into the pages of Hemmingway’s “Islands in the Stream” and our previous character Eddy. If you recall Eddy was our fighter for “right” in defending his truthful recollections of that day’s fishing trip. When he was confronted with the reality of the only true result of his previous evening’s altercations were his bruised face and the associated soreness, he reluctantly admits it was a bad night. However, he does allude to a lesson he has learned as he states he knows “enough now not to try to make people believe it”. He is recognizing that his fighting did not change anyone whom he fought with, and his fighting had no bearing on the truth; the truth was still the truth. Eddy was not responsible, just as we are not, in “making” someone believe the truth, it was only for him to share the truth. If we are truly interested in others to know the Truth which we have come to know, our intent should be to ensure the continuance of the conversation and that is best accomplished when we intentionally build relationships through our obedience to the command to love one another.
I’m pretty sure I’m not judgmental when I state that I do not believe Hemmingway intended his novel to inspire a devotional response from any of his readers regarding loving one another. However, I encourage us all to consider how the reading of novels and examining the lives of the characters can provide us with an opportunity to weigh our own lives and safely consider how those interactions can have a positive impact on us.
1 Colossians 2:15
2 Romans 12:9
3 Romans 12:20, Proverbs 25:21,22
4 Romans 12:14
5 John 13:35