A few weeks ago I decided that I can’t watch the news
any more. I don’t mean that I won’t. I mean I can’t. Physically, emotionally,
spiritually, I just cannot do it. I get an ugly
feeling in my bones when I do. There is too much suffering, and too many
days go by when I wonder how we got so lost.
 |
| (Photo Via Nicki Varkevisser) |
The world is full of stories of those who seemed to have lost touch with the things that make
them human. Every day we are bombarded with stories of how we have hurt one another. I
would like to say that these stories don’t shock me. History has told me that these
things happen, a Holy Book even tells me
why, but still I am shocked and saddened by these things. During my
short 26 years I have also experienced a world of goodness, and so I am puzzled at the paradox of a world that is at the
same time both beautiful and ugly;
lovely and hateful; peaceful and yet full of chaos and war.
I crave a world that is full of goodness and grace, and though I am not the Saviour, I am His child
and He has created me to be salt and light in this world; to be a preserver and an illuminator.
I often struggle with what this looks like on the ground. I wonder
how I am supposed to do this because I am stumbling along in life just like the
rest of us, unsure of what my role is in the chaos and noise.
All I know is that there are many moments when I know that we were made for more. We’re better
than this, aren't we? We’re better than the bickering and bitterness, the mistreating
and competing and taking advantage of each other. We’re definitely better than
all the violence and rage. And I know this because I have seen glimpses of a better world; I have seen people who
breathe life into the hearts of others instead of sucking it out like a vacuum.
I have felt joy so pure that I wish it
would last forever.
I once read that
feeling that way – feeling so good you don’t want it to end – is an indication
that maybe it wasn't supposed to end. We were made to live in eternal bliss
with God.
But things got
broken.
And it was us who
broke them.
And I have asked God over and over why this is so. Why does
life have to be this way?
Lord! I cry out with my whole heart, why do we hurt? And why do we
hurt each other?
Because though I don’t believe that suffering, evil, and
pain can cease to exist (at least not right now), I do believe that as God’s
image bearers we have it within us to love one another as God loves us.
But the reality is that on the grand
scale, we don’t.
Granted, there are some groups of people that are
fighting to live in real community with one another. They are inspiring. But the world is still overrun with pain
inflicted on one human being by the hand of another. We still live in a world where evil seems
to be winning (and I use the word seem
here because I also believe that evil is not, in fact, winning - at least not
on the grand scale and later we’ll talk about why).
I have wrestled with this question of suffering my whole
life. I have read mountains of books and articles and tried to find some sort
of reconcilable “theology of suffering” that makes sense to my empathetic
brain. I have asked the question of why too many times. Why are we like this? And more importantly, is there hope for us? Is there hope for change?
I believe that there is. And most people who know me know
that I believe that hope to be found in Jesus Christ. But please don’t write me off as another religious type just yet. I am not writing to try and
persuade you to convert to Christianity, but rather I write to encourage you to consider
three universal human values, and then to consider how practicing each of these values – values which
were perfectly modelled to us by Jesus – might change you and thereby change the
world.
In this series we’ll be talking about these three values which I believe are essential to our happiness and fulfilment as human beings. I
like to call them the Fierce 3: - Courage
- Confidence
- Community
These may seem like weird values to choose, but trust me, they are crucial to our ability to thrive as healthy, loving, and peaceful human beings. These things mark the beginning of change.
As your read you will most certainly be challenged, agree, disagree, and have revolutionary thoughts of your own.
Send them to me.
I would love to hear the stories and opinions that arise from your heart as we take a look at things such as fear, suffering, and vulnerability. Will you journey with me as we attempt to piece
together what it might look like to live in a better world? Stay tuned for my next post which will explore the concept of fear and why courage is needed.
_______________________
Have thoughts or comments you would like to share? Please comment below or feel free to send your stories to kait.jongsma@gmail.com.
