I will stretch out My hand against Judah and against all who live in Jerusalem. I will cut off from this place every remnant of Baal...

Be silent before the Sovereign LORD, for the day of the LORD is near.

Zephaniah 1:4&7, NIV

 

After hundreds of years of the descendants of Abraham's having lived as a superpower in Jerusalem, their reign was about to come to an end. God's chosen people had rejected Him as their Sovereign and were now about to pay the penalty. God loved His people and had been sending his messengers to them to give them warning of their impending doom unless they repented of their continual wickedness, but it had been to no avail. 

 

The people of Judah simply could not believe that God would punish them by destroying their nation. They had been a nation ever since God had rescued them out of Egypt over 800 years earlier. God had sent prophets before, but He had always relented in the past. Never mind the fact that God had punished them before - that was long ago, yet the nation had still survived. So, they didn't heed the warnings of God and they paid the price.

 

Modern day observers call this "normalcy bias" or "recency bias". It's the idea that we humans have a hard time imagining things can be different than recent experience shows them to be. They have been the same for so long that in our minds they will always be the same. This type of nearsighted thinking is often compounded by a failure to learn the lessons that history has taught. Those observant and honest enough to admit it will have to confess that our own modern-day society is pretty short on history and fairly long on arrogance, so many of our generation are absolutely clueless as to what is happening right now before their very eyes.

 

This is the long way around the barn, I suppose, of saying that America finds itself in a similar position that the Israelites of Judah were in over 2,500 years ago. And while there are some differences between the two nations (despite thoughts to the contrary, Americans are not God's chosen people, though many have chosen to follow Him) the similarities between the two nations are significant. For instance, both were founded by people who desired to be righteous before God. Both have had a long history of loving God and seeking to do His will. Both eventually rejected their need to remain obedient to God, but both felt that God would never punish them for doing so.

 

And both felt that things would never change.

 

There is yet another similar characteristic the two nations share: Both had a remnant of people who up until the very end still loved God and listened to His warnings. The nation of Israel had the prophets who issued these warnings, while the people of our day have the teachings contained within the Bible to give us ours. And though a few still heed those warnings, the vast majority do not. Why should they?

 

When you think about it, the older generation has done a fairly lousy job of preparing the younger one. Most of the current generation is being brought up with the idea that America is great because we are diverse, equitable and inclusive. Never mind the idea that we have taken these noble standards and twisted them to being diverse, equitable and inclusive of perverse and sinful behavior. We are noble in our own minds and that is all that counts! And as for God? Well, He loves us unconditionally, doesn't He? Furthermore, He will unconditionally protect and reward us no matter how sinful we become, won't He? That's what many of our times have been taught and that is what they believe.

 

So, we have "slouched towards Gomorrah" and we find ourselves in a nation of people who think they can do anything they want without consequence. It has been so in the past (at least in their limited understanding of history) and it will be the same in the future. This is what the Israelites thought in Zephaniah's day, and it is what most people think in our own. The people of Zephaniah's day were carried off into exile as punishment for their leaving God - even though they clung to their normalcy bias until the bitter end. Do we think that it will end differently for us, should we continue to cling to our sins?

 

One of the reasons that we read the Bible and history is so that we can learn that things do change. Sin does have consequences! God does have standards that must be upheld! Even if we haven't believed this to be true, it is so. Since this is the case, what do you think we should do about it? Maybe a good place to start is with repentance. Then maybe we can start talking to the next generation about the need to return to God before it is too late.

 

It's something to consider, don't you think?

 

 

And should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had on you? And in his anger his master delivered him to the jailers, until he should pay all his debt. So also my Heavenly Father will do to every one of you,

if you do not forgive your brother from the heart.

Matthew 18:33-35, ESV

 

As I write this, an attempt was made on former President Trump's life at a political rally. At least one innocent bystander was killed, and the would-be assassin was also killed. President Trump's ear was grazed by one of the bullets but appears to be okay. However, I don't think you can say the same for our nation as we have become a people bitterly divided with hatred and a seemingly complete lack of forgiveness.

 

And this is tragic, because if we cannot learn to stop being ruled by hatred and desires for revenge, then we are doomed. The reason for this is clear from the passage we read above: Those who do not forgive their fellow man from the heart will be lost. 

 

This does not seem fair to the innocents who have been harmed by wicked men. These victims and families of victims have a hard enough time dealing with the consequences of the sins of wicked men, but to compound this by carrying hatred and bitterness makes it all the worse. It robs us of our peace, as when we cannot forgive the poison this condition produces just seems to build up until we cannot stand it any longer. We lose sleep, we lose productive thought, and we can even lose our very humanity if we are not careful.

 

Sin does have tremendous consequences, and it is difficult not to compound these with a desire for revenge But, we must quell this type of response, because if we do not, we become like the man in the example above who lost his very soul because he could not forgive his brother from the heart.

 

The times we live in seem to be explosive. It is like everyone is situated on their own private powder keg that is ready to go off at any moment. While I do not know anything about the madman who shot the President, it is probably not too far of a reach to conclude that he harbored some bitterness in his heart that festered to the point of hatred and murder. But the hatred did not cease with the assassin's death, for immediately after the shooting, people in the crowd were seen gesturing towards the press with open hostility and words that left little to the imagination.

 

We are a country divided, to be sure, and the division is reaching a boiling point which will have untold consequences if left unchecked. Of course we have every right to be angry, but Scripture is clear on this: We are not to sin in our anger, and this is something that is hard to do. So, we will probably continue to spiral downward as a nation during this political cycle. People really do seem to have lost their love for one another, and the repercussions for this loss of affection will certainly take its toll.

 

The question is what kind of a nation will we have left after the bitterness passes? Sometimes I wonder if we will even have a nation left at all, for people really do seem to be at the end of their ropes and are becoming heedless of the consequences for doing so.

 

But we, my brothers and sisters, cannot be that way. for such a life devoid of mercy is like an unchecked cancer. It will simply continue to grow and grow until finally it has consumed the whole body. It is time that we got ahold of our emotions, and it is time for us to start loving one another again. I am not saying that we should become permissive of sin to the point that we lose our sight of needed justice, but I am saying that we learn to be a bit more forgiving as we exercise that justice. For God has plainly stated that He will not forgive anyone who is not willing to forgive others.

 

And when you think about it, we need that forgiveness. Each one of us have committed sins that have caused Jesus to die on that cruel cross. Perhaps each one of us needs to remember that, before we decide that the wrongs that others have committed against us are unforgiveable.    

Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.

Ephesians 4:29, NIV

 

I'm old enough to remember a standard that said, "If you don't have anything nice to say about someone, don't say anything at all." It was a Christian standard, to be sure, and it was one that was strictly enforced both in the home and in the school. We were taught that it was bad manners to say mean things to others - even if they said something mean to you. "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but names will never hurt me" was another of those antiquated sayings of my youth. Like the first saying, this was also based on Biblical teachings, and the Word of God was accepted as the last word for behavior in Mo and Dad's home.

 

But today it is different. It seems you cannot even enjoy a sports star without getting into some type of sticks and stones argument. I remember when Larry Bird and Magic Johnson came into the NBA. The competition was fierce, and you were likely either a Bird fan or a Magic fan. But that didn't mean you couldn't appreciate the other guy, and most basketball fans did. The arguments that arose between who was better usually ran along the lines of the strengths of one or another. It was fun to watch these two, and they really did help to save the NBA at a time when viewership was on the wane.

 

Now, it is different. In the WNBA we have two new stars - Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese. They too are fierce competitors, and both are excellent players. But their fans are insufferable for the most part. When they prefer one, they have to tear down the other. I have seen headline after headline of Caitlin Clark (my personal favorite) and these headlines tell a story of our modern times. When Caitlin does well, her fans are happy, but when she does not do well or when her team loses, then lookout! If she loses, it's the coach's fault for being stupid and incompetent. If she doesn't get put on the Olympic squad, it's because the league is out to get her. If she gets a hard foul, it's because everyone is a racist.

 

The list goes on and on, but you see the point. In years gone by the emphasis was in talking about people's strengths if you supported them. But in our modern era, any challenge to "your guy or gal's" greatness is perceived as enemy action. We cannot even appreciate something as simple as a good athlete in a game designed for entertainment without starting World War III.

 

And it's a shame, in my estimation, for we have lost something that was very enjoyable. Jesus warned that there would come a time that the love of most would grow cold, and I think that time has arrived. People seem to take offense at the drop of a hat, and sometimes they will "drop the hat" just so they can have an excuse to be offended. Simple disagreements over differences of opinions can rarely be settled by rational discussion anymore. Even when someone has a good idea, the result is often anger from those who don't think it's such a good idea after all 

 

So, instead of working together to have a better world by building one another up - even when we disagree. it seems that we tend towards tearing one another down instead. And the world has become a lesser place because of it

 

The good news is that there is a solution. We can return to "old fashioned" virtues of holding our tongues when we don't have anything nice to say. We can overlook offenses when someone is so ill-mannered as to be hurtful in their speech. And we can learn to love our neighbors as ourselves and to do unto others as you would have them do unto you. 

 

But if we are going to do these things, we better do them quick. Otherwise, the world will keep devolving to a meaner and meaner place, until finally there is nothing left but bitterness and hate towards one another. God has called us to something better, and His way really is the very best way of all. So why not give it a try and start saying things that will build others up for a change? We really have nothing to lose by doing so, but we have an awful lot to gain if we will.

People are always looking for great investment opportunities, so I thought I would pass along one of the very best secrets with the greatest potential for return on your time and effort that has ever been known to man. Furthermore, since this "strategy" for gain comes from the very Word of God, I can give it without hesitation. Are you ready? Here it is:

 

Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. 

Be kind to one another,

tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

Ephesians 4:31-32, ESV

 

"Wait a minute", you might be thinking, "this isn't investment advice. I have been tricked!" But the fact is, you haven't been tricked at all, for this piece of advice truly does have the capacity for giving you one of the highest rates of return ever known to man. When God commands us to "be kind to one another", He is giving us a gift that will yield perpetual returns if we will just let it. But I must warn you, to get these types of returns you are going to have to put in a great deal more than most are willing to give.

 

We live during a time when it seems we can speak freely. We have the anonymity of social media, wherein we can pretty much say whatever we wish, no matter how harsh, whenever we like. So, people can expend all of the bitterness and wrath and anger and slander that they want without having to suffer the immediate repercussions for having done so. After a while, we can become so accustomed to spreading this type of vile hatefulness that we eventually drop the anonymous comments and let everyone know what we think without caring a whit for the consequences.

 

And the beauty of this is that it takes very little though and almost no effort at all because saying the first thing that comes to mind is easy. The problem is that it is also a pretty mean way to live. By "venting" our wrath on one another, we eventually will poison even the closest and most dear of our relationships. We will hurt people and cause their lives to be more bitter and filled with less joy. While it might be immediately satisfying to lash out in any way we choose, the long-term results can be far more damaging than we could have ever imagined. Some people, so damaged by the hurtful comments of others, have even resorted to suicide just to escape the hurt that has been caused them.

 

On the other hand, kindness takes effort. Being tenderhearted towards each other to the point that we will overlook any slights and offenses is hard, but the dividends it pays are beyond anything that we can imagine. Taking the time to consider how we might build one another up is not always convenient, but it is always worth the extra consideration that it takes. When we can look at things through the other person's eyes and sympathize with what they are going through, then we will want to take that little bit of time to figure out ways to encourage them and make their day a little better for having been in our presence.

 

Being kind does take great effort, and it does not always show immediate results. But, like a prudent investment of something as inconsequential as our money, these continual expenditures of kindness will eventually reap huge rewards. We will find that people will actually like being around us, for it makes them feel good to be around someone who always treats them well. We will discover that most people long to repay others for the kindness shown to them, so they will be most kind to us in return.

 

In addition to that, we will find that our world becomes a more beautiful place to live. For a person who sows flower seeds instead of weeds will eventually be surrounded by a beauty that can scarcely be imagined. Yes, kindness truly is one of the best investments that we can ever make. And in the end, the dividends that it will pay is eternal. After all, if you cannot lose your reward for giving even a cup of cold water to a little one because he is the Lord's disciple, just imagine the benefits you will reap if you have a daily habit of being kind and tenderhearted and forgiving to everyone you come in contact with!