June 16, 1999
FAMILY MATTERS:
Christ's love can overcome fear, anger
___It is frightening to read so many accounts of angry people who turn against people around them. What is causing all this anger? Is there anything we can do to better deal with anger in our society? What can the church do to address this terrible trend?
___
"Frightening" certainly is an accurate word to use. Parents and children are
frightened.
MARY STEDHAM
Family Counselor
Abilene
___You ask about the cause of such rampant anger. The answer is fear. People who do not know one another tend to side against each other. You can call it tribalism, territorialism or prejudice, but you can't call it Christian! Jesus devoted his ministry to bringing people together.
___One thing we can do to better deal with anger is understand it better. Angry people often feel isolated. That isolation can be imposed on them by others who exclude them, purposefully or totally innocently. Other times, isolation is a symptom of depression and is self-imposed. People who are depressed often withdraw into a quiet, lonely world. They may go through the motions of living, but inside they feel empty and alone. Even when a plastic smile covers their face, they feel out of touch.
___What did Jesus do when he encountered people who were alone and alienated? He stopped and connected with them. While we have more ways to communicate than any other society in history, we spend too few moments actually knowing each other. Until we realize we have a great deal in common with others, we will find it easy to judge, even to hate, those we see as different. While the Bible clearly tells us that in Christ there is no "pecking order," we still live out of one. That creates both distance and hostility.
___So, what can our churches do to reverse the trend? What Jesus taught us: Love one another. As he once said: "So what if you love your friends? The pagans do that! You must love your enemies also." That is a paraphrase, but the point is accurate. We must be willing and able to love those we don't like. And we must teach our children to do the same. We must adopt the philosophy of Abraham Lincoln, who once said: "I met a man I did not like today. I must get to know him better."
___We may look different, dress differently, even speak different languages. But we have the same basic needs as human beings--to love and be loved. We as Christians must not only reach out to others in love but also help them learn to love. Such love can overcome fear!
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