We live in the most educated eras in history; a world in which slavery abolitionist Wilberforce and Martin Luther King Jr. could’ve only imagined. Yet, George Floyd’s death suggests the goalposts have simply moved. When it comes to war, we do not engage with muskets and cavalry, but warhead-laden freighters and B-52s. As for money, we’re not as bothered about the burglar in the balaclava, but the online hacker, phisher and fraudster. And as if that wasn’t enough, no person can look at 9/11, 7/7, Yemen, Syria, #metoo and BLM without feelings of anger, sorrow or confusion. While our smartphones constantly remind us of the ails of the world, the truth is that the problem is not just out there.
#METOO – Photo by Mélodie Descoubes on Unsplash #BLM – Photo by Cooper Baumgartner on Unsplash
Truth #1: I am capable of good and evil
Growing up, my brother and I would bicker, a lot. Arguing, fighting, slamming doors and the like. The conflict would upset my mother to the point where she would land her own blows upon both of our heads (don’t tell the police, it was legal back then). I remember stealing money from my mother’s purse on one day and shouting that I hated her the next. More blows upon my head. Ironically, I love my mum dearly.
I shudder to think of all the things I did to those I hated. Even so, I think I’m a regular guy; I’m not Gandhi, nor Hitler, I’m just a ‘good’ person. Most of my clothes are charity bought, I’m an ‘NHS hero’ and I’ve dedicated decades of my life to helping young people. But I’m not special; mothers, cleaners, bankers and everyone in between have done their bit, because we see the brokenness of mankind and try to fix it. That said, another truth haunts me still.
Truth #2: I am the problem
I love justice, but I’m wearing socks from Primark.
I love the earth, but my cupboard is full of plastic bags.
I am a doctor, but I haven’t kept 2m all the time.
I’m sceptical of corporations, but I’ve got an iPhone.
I know about sweat shops, but I love my Air Force Ones.
I still know what it feels like to harbour malice in my heart. For my mouth to spit words of venom. For my mind to wander into fantasy.
I am the problem.
The scary thing about that revelation… is that I am one of 7.8 billion. Everyone knows something’s wrong. Our world is not the way it should be, and we are the guilty party.
The moment I decide to do good, sin [evil] is there to trip me up. I truly delight in God’s commands, but it’s pretty obvious that not all of me joins in that delight. Parts of me covertly rebel, and just when I least expect it, they take charge.
I’ve tried everything and nothing helps. I’m at the end of my rope. Is there no one who can do anything for me? Isn’t that the real question?
Romans 7:14 & 19-20 (The Message)
I agree with Paul; I believe that a great disease has befallen mankind. It crept into our fibres many millennia ago and still rampages on to this day. It has infiltrated our banks, our governments and even mother earth herself. It has infected our relationships with others as well as ourselves. It is invisible, yet its devastation is everywhere. There is no cure and we keep throwing every resource we possess to restrain it. Philosophy professors call it the problem of evil. The Buddhists call it the three poisons.
The Bible calls it sin.
Who is going to fix us? Who is going to enter into our world, but not be tainted by it? Who is going to make up for my shortcomings? Who will rid us of sin?
Truth #3: Jesus must fix me before he fixes anything else
In 1st Century Israel, sexism, racism, human trafficking and state-sponsored murder were everyday realities. Women weren’t allowed to testify in court. Slavery was the backbone of the economy. Even Jesus’ own cousin John was executed by a corrupt government. Yet Jesus never declared war against Caesar, march for women’s rights or abolish the slave trade. That’s not to say that he didn’t care; he found creative ways to usurp the system. However, out of all the global ills Jesus encountered, he focussed all his attention upon one enemy – sin.
When we say that Jesus died for your sin, he died to rid us of the great cancer that befalls us all. He was the only one that could forgive our hypocrisy, and excuse our shortfall. We love him because we do not measure up. While imperfect people try to make our imperfect world a better place for all, he looks at us with love and grace. He knows we are not okay, yet he points us to perfect, helping us every step of the way.
If you liked this, try this:
- MeToo – let’s not be thinkers and not doers. Tarana Burke first identified the #metoo movement in 2006, to help victims of sexual violence. Learn more about her work 14 years later.
- Atonement by Penal Substitution – let’s not be doers and not thinkers. The concept of Jesus’ dying to both forgive our sin and empower us to live new lives is called ‘Atonement’. Here are some great resources to get you started.
