Fighting the brokenness.
Death and life are in the power of the tongue,
and those who love it will eat its fruit.
~Proverbs 18:21 (CSB)
Turn on the news any given evening or scroll through social media, and you’ll soon see evidence of brokenness in our world.
Racial injustices
COVID-19
Political posturing – on every side
Arguments over how schools should start this school year
Sex trafficking
Child trafficking
Divorce
Abuse
Illness
Death
Accusations
Arguments
Hatred
(the list is in no particular order)
I could keep going, but this list is already making me feel sick.
What do we do with this pervasiveness of brokenness? I’ve tried engaging and quickly burnt out. I’ve tried educating myself and get overwhelmed at how much I don’t know. I've tried limiting my news and social media. I've tried ignoring it all. I keep trying. All of my efforts led me to draw the covers over my head and attempt to forget that it was a new day.
As a child of God living in this world, these things matter regardless of my specific situation. But the brokenness makes me feel utterly hopeless at times. I think of the passage in Colossians that tells us, "…put on compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, bearing with one another and forgiving one another…" (1:12-13). Where are those things right now? Seriously. WHERE ARE THEY?
A few verses before Paul writes, "…put to death what belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desire, and greed, which is idolatry…put away all the following: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and filthy language from your mouth. Do not lie to one another…" (Colossians 1:5,8). How often do we see these very things happening? How often are these the underlying issues to any number of the issues in my list above?
How often do you check yourself? How often do I check myself? Which list are we following?
I read a recent blog post by Jane Johnson this morning that spoke so much to my heart. I understand some of her wrestling, and her words helped name what I have been experiencing all too often. Her post talks specifically about what she has been learning about child trafficking, but she also addresses how we can combat the brokenness we see every day. I encourage you to read her post for more.
However, this is what I was reminded of…words have power. Proverbs 18:21 says, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit.” Fighting the brokenness for me means that I have to use my words. Words are my power. Staying silent over the pain caused by the sin and brokenness in our world serves no one. Trying to keep the peace by not voicing my opinion or beliefs accomplishes little; perhaps speaking up will actually build some peace.
But again, I have to check myself. What kind of words am I ingesting? What kind of words am I expressing? What am I loving? Words of life or words of death? Words of death knock me down and lay me flat. They make me feel powerless. Words of life encourage and build up. They empower and heal.
As I speak out, you don't get to know my political opinions. You don't get to know my position on COVID-19 and masks. You don't get to know how I feel about school starting soon and the various options available to teachers and students. People will likely make their assumptions, and the world will keep turning.
Here's what you do get to know. I believe in Jesus Christ as the only begotten Son of God. I believe in the power of the Holy Spirit and the transformative power of God's grace. I believe that we become a brand-new creation, something never seen before when the power of Jesus' blood saves us. I believe Christ has conquered this world, and we get to live in the tension of Christ already conquering the world but not yet transforming it into a perfect creation. I believe the brokenness of the world breaks God's heart, but He has never abandoned us. I believe the Holy Spirit empowers us to be ambassadors for God to represent Him to the world.
Paul, in one of his letters to the Corinthians, writes, "We are afflicted in every way but not crushed; we are perplexed but not in despair; we are persecuted but not abandoned; we are struck down but not destroyed. We always carry the death of Jesus in our body, so that the life of Jesus may also be displayed in our body" (2 Cor. 4:8-10). We carry the death of Jesus in our bodies. We are mortal bodies given over to death because all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Rom 3:23). Jesus, as a man, experienced death and the brokenness of the world. We also carry the life of Jesus in our bodies. We are new spiritual creations intended to reflect the glory of God to the world. We will die because we are human, but we will live with Christ because we are more than what we once were.
We have hope because Christ is our hope. I will struggle again and need to be reminded of the power of Christ as King of this world and the hope of Christ as our Savior. We live in an "already, not yet" tension that will likely grow worse, but we are not without hope. We are not without power. We have the boldness and ability to approach God, and you can't tell me He's not working. God spoke, and the world was created. He is still active today, and we get to partner with Him in bringing life to the world.
So today, you and I have a choice. We can speak life, or we can speak death into the world around us. Are you bringing hope and life to those in your sphere of influence? Or are you tearing down and hurting those around you? What do you post on social media? Are you encouraging and edifying? Or are you attacking and villainizing? These are not easy questions to consider, and it's not my job to judge your words. I have my own words I have to take to God.
Let us partner with God in fighting the brokenness and not grow discouraged. Let us be light and life to the lost and broken. Let us point to the Light of the world and the Water of life Who brings healing, renewal, rest, and life to a hurting world.
