By Jim Tune
How do you view the world?
Too often I think our churches tend to see the world only as a mess””caught up in mindless trivialization, bereft of moral values, anti-church, and anti-Christian. Indeed, it is common today for many churches to see the world as the enemy. Unfortunately, rather than feeling heartbroken about it, we feel smug and righteous as we gleefully witness its downfall. Godlessness is its own punishment! The world is only getting what it deserves! That”s what it gets for not listening to us!
In this, our attitude is the antithesis of Jesus” attitude toward the world. Do you remember how Jesus responded to a lost and dying world? He had compassion on the crowds “because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd” (Matthew 9:36). Too often, Christians look upon the crowds and feel irritated, even angry.
Jesus loved the world. Really? Yes. Is this what the Gospels teach? Yes. So how do we handle a messy world and the hostility it directs our way?
Sometimes our response is paralysis. Intimidated by the world, we can be tempted to retreat and go underground. We retain our ideals. We continue to speak love and understanding, but not to our enemies (whom we don”t exactly hate, but whom we now avoid).
Sometimes our response is belligerence. Let them think whatever they want! They can like it or lump it! If they want a debate, I”m ready to tell them how it is!
More often than not our attitude takes another form, condescension. We view ourselves as more righteous than and morally superior to everyone else.
Here”s how the Gospels describe Jesus” reaction toward a world that rejected him: “As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it” (Luke 19:41). Jesus sees what happens when people try to live without God, and far from rejoicing that the world is reeling with the consequences of sin, his heart aches. Jesus responds with empathy, not glee; with understanding, not judgment; with tears, not an attitude of good riddance!
Loving parents understand exactly what Jesus was feeling as he wept over Jerusalem. A frustrated, heartbroken parent sees his child caught up in wrong choices and self-destructive behavior and grieves as words such as these spontaneously form: If only you could see what you”re doing! If only you would open your eyes! If only I could spare you the damage you”re doing to your life by this blindness!
Our Christian faith asks that we have a genuine love for the world. The world isn”t our enemy. It”s a wayward child or beloved friend who is breaking our heart. May our heavenly Father give us eyes to see.
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