“The goal of this command is love, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.” 1 Timothy 1:5
THE Lord Jesus Christ once healed ten men of leprosy. The Scriptures record that “One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked Him.” (Luke 17:15). Jesus pointed out the ingratitude of the other nine: “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? Was no one found to return and give thanks to God except this foreigner?” The man who returned was a Samaritan, the traditional enemy of the Jews.
Ingratitude, thanklessness and lack of generosity are very evident in our times. Courtesies – saying please, thank you, excuse me – are not so common. One approaches most encounters defensively, expecting rudeness, curses, aggressiveness, even violence, as a matter of course. Those who drive carefully experience a daily traffic of abuse from impatient drivers and hostility from pedestrians. In shops and stores those who serve leave much to be desired in terms of basic service manners. Kindness and good manners are often seen now as evidence of softness, weakness, things quaint and foreign, an eccentricity to be mocked.
There is fear that if one does not act aggressively, one will be taken advantage of. But much of this behavior can come from self-centredness. Our lack of care for other persons, our selfishness, is revealed by our behavior. Space, time, thanks are often given reluctantly and grudgingly. Elderly parents and small children often suffer from these. And we often rationalize bad behavior and destructive attitudes. Unfortunately, these now pervade communities at all levels. At their worse, they manifest in streets filled with obscenities, quarrels, fights, and increasing violence that lead frequently to murder and death. Children and women are often at the receiving end, but so are the male victims of gang vendettas which have now become a major problem here and throughout the Caribbean.
From a Biblical point of view (much rejected) these are signs of the times. The Apostle Paul had prophesied, echoing the older prophets: “There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God – having a form of godliness but denying its power.” (2 Timothy 3:1-5). We can check off everything in that list as familiar to us today.
Wherever man continues to hate his God and Creator, to disobey Him, to scoff at Biblical revelation, these behaviours will increase. The Biblical exhortations to know the reality of God’s existence and His sovereignty, to turn from sinful attitudes, to believe all that the Bible teaches about Jesus Christ the Saviour, to prepare for God’s certain judgement, is the only solution. It must begin at an individual, personal level for each person.
We do not disregard the ideas and work of sociologists, economists, social workers, medical professionals, teachers, the police and others of civil society who offer solutions and work bravely deep in communities to resolve these urgent problems. The Church, at best, lays the Biblical spiritual analyses and solutions alongside the many other heart-felt concerns. The Church is concerned, not only about this world and our lives in it, but is called to remind human beings of the greater spiritual realities connected with us as God’s creation, responsible, accountable and answerable to God.
Persons who have been saved from the power of those sins detailed by Paul are the ones who will strive to live with greater respect for themselves and their fellow citizens. Have Christians, professing church members not often failed to live up to the high calling of Scriptural principles? Yes they have and continue to do so. But the failure of the Church and its members do not cancel or make void Biblical principles.
For serious followers of Biblical Christian guidelines, the two great commandments to love God and neighbor, are daily pointers. In this hostile world, it is not easy to practice love, but there is no other way if one is to survive to the end of one’s life. The ways of hate, grudges, resentments, rudeness, incessant quarrels, unending aggression, bitter partisanships of politics and religion are sure ways to disease and sickness that is physical, mental, spiritual. As well as deepening the divisions between persons and communities that are increasingly producing murder, death, suffering, endless vendettas of revenge. The ravages of these things are on the faces all around us. Many now live in fear as well as continual anger. All, young and old, are affected.
The solution is life-changing faith in God. Not religious jargon that clothes itself in huge crosses and costumes, not ceaseless, meaningless talk about God in the midst of entrenched hate, not the obvious hypocrisies that obscure the great truths of the salvation Christ brings to those who receive Him in life-changing faith. A thankfulness and gratitude, seen in our daily relationships is an undeniable mark of the first place given to God in our lives. “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness…” (Matthew 6:33). That faith knows the reality of God’s forgiveness of our sins and God’s certain judgement on all wickedness.
That true, life-changing faith manifests itself in the common courtesies that help to make this hard world bearable. There is the love of neighbor that is commanded. God is depended on for the solution to all difficulties. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart…He will direct your steps.” (Proverbs 3:5,6). That faith-life is marked also by a real joy: “Be joyful always; pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18). Like a balm, lives that carry these qualities will be great blessing to home, work-place, neighborhoods, country. Our faith will shape the nature of our common courtesies.