Identifying the proper object of blame is a beginning step to speaking into the darkness- but it never finishes the job. When I visit inmates at our local jail I am able to release some of their pain from my heart by pinning blame on their foolish conduct or, in the sadder situations, on an imperfect justice system. When I counsel people we often talk about the wounds of the past and we identify the causes of present pain, but that road dead ends in no time. Inmates cannot survive incarceration by identifying their problem anymore than counselees can overcome their pain by identifying the source thereof. Victorious living requires we get off the dead end road of blame and onto the Solution.
From time immemorial mankind’s problem has not been weapons or government or poor legislation or crime or mental illness or single parent homes or homosexuality or slavery. Our problem roots deeper than those tangibles and because of this, shallow glancing eyes often miss it. At the root of every “problem” is an underlying “problem”. And although accurately identifying the problem will never solve the problem, it is a necessary start. So let’s start by identifying mankind’s problem.
Place twenty-20 year olds in a school gymnasium armed with fully loaded, semi-automatic assault rifles which they have been trained to use and if no sin resides in their hearts no one dies of gun wounds that day, guaranteed. However, place a butter knife in the hand of one twenty year old who has so let the sins of anger, rage and murderous premeditation flood his weak mind and corrupt his groundless conscience and someone is going to die or be seriously wounded, guaranteed. The problem with the world is not the things we have/don’t have, do/don’t do. It’s not that shallow. The bible makes it clear that mankind’s problem is not violence, but anger, not guns but sin.
Jesus said, “First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean” (Mt.23:26).
James said, “What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight“ (James 4:1-2).
The problem with the world, folks, is sin in our hearts and unless we can find a fool-proof solution for it no hope remains.
The good news, no GREAT NEWS, is that Christmas is here once again. The CHRISTmas holy-day brings us back to God’s solution for mankind’s problem. Mankind’s solution involves a birth and a death; a baby lying in a manger and a Savior hanging on a tree. If there was another solution the Lord would have shown it. If there was another way Jesus would have been offered it (see Matthew 26:39, 42). But as it were there was no other way and as it stands today there is no other solution to the darkest shades of evil than the lonely birth and the cruel cross. Jesus is the only Way. He is the only solution to the evil in each of our hearts and unless He washes us clean from the inside out we shall all see the capabilities of human depravity once more.
For Christmas this year I want to challenge us to revisit our need for a Savior. It’s easy to point to others and say, “He needs a savior. How could he do that?” And no doubt Adam did a grave evil and we must comfort the victims with God’s solution and God’s love. But we must not be harder on others than we first are on ourselves. Thomas a’ Kempis said it well in his book Imitation of Christ,
“Even shouldest thou see thy neighbor sin openly or grievously, yet thou oughtest not to reckon thyself better than he, for thou knowest not how long thou shalt keep thine integrity. All of us are weak and frail; hold thou no man more frail than thyself” (Kempis, 1400’s, book I, chapter II).
Folks the world needs a Savior; always has. I need one. You need one. Mother Theresa needed one and we all need the same One. If you are a lover of Jesus Christ today then may this email and this ancient hymn bring you tidings of comfort and joy today as you eagerly wait for our Savior’s return;
“God rest ye merry gentlemen, let nothing you dismay; remember Christ our Savior was born on Christmas day, to save us all from Satan’s power when we were gone astray. O tidings of comfort and joy.”
“Fear not”, then said the angel, “let nothing you affright, this day is born a Savior of pure Virgin bright, to free all those who trust in Him from Satan’s power and might.” O tidings of comfort and joy.”
In Christian love,
Shaun (minister)
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