Still Praying for Peace

A family flees Syria

As the conflict in Syria heightens, I hear the sound of swords being rattled again, as the powers that be plan yet another strike to meet this latest crisis.

Why must violence always beget more violence?

Look, folks, I don’t have an easy answer. Using chemical weapons on noncombatants is horrible, and it shows just how tragic things have become.

A U.S. Military Drone

Our leaders tell us we fight to promote democracy (and subtly that we fight to protect our economic interests—oil and the selling of arms). Sounds a bit like imperialism to me. But over the last few years, a few have realized the real U.S. policy: Despite the political rhetoric of presidents and parties and self-interested news agencies, we are quite comfortable with dictators around the world, as long as they stay in line and don't do anything that would upset the status quo. Stability, above everything else, is what is valued. Africa, South America, Asia, the Middle East—we don’t care who is in charge, as long as things are stable. 

Remnants of a U.S. Drone in Pakistan

But now things seem to be spinning out of control. There is disarray everywhere, and in the shifting sands, different factions jockey for power.

Hurray for Egypt! They got democracy, even without a violent revolution! But wait, the democratically elected president seemed too eager to take advantage of his new power, and so the military imprisons him AND releases the former leader, who I guess everyone now thinks wasn’t so bad after all. And the U.S. is going to great lengths NOT to call it a COUP because that would mean we can’t sell our bombs and guns and fighter jets to Egypt’s military!

Will we ever learn?
 
I must admit, my faith in humanity is waning. Why are people so unreasonable, so entrenched in their positions? I often throw up my arms and say that naïve and possibly childish saying:

Why can’t we all just get along?

And after saying it, I think of the passage (Isaiah 11:6) that says, “and a little child shall lead them.”

Of course, it is extremely rare that we ever truly seek the Lord’s direction. Some may claim to, but it seems to me they are really never truly open to God. They’ve already made up their minds, and often use religious talk to justify their attitudes.

When such times hit me, I always return to Jesus. Yes, Jesus. Talk of turning the other cheek, of extending mercy, of love for the enemy, and prayers for the persecutors—it all speaks to me of the challenging yet liberating Word of God, a voice that stands against the saber rattling, get even, human voice of violence that seems so LOUD today. Indeed, though there were plenty ready to put a sword in Jesus’ hand, our Lord and savior took up a shepherd’s crook and a cross upon his back in order to redeem the world. And he even told us to do the same.
  

He shall judge between the nations, and shall arbitrate for many peoples; they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. -Isaiah 2:4

 
Ron Trimmer is pastor of Hope United, a new church in Georgetown, Texas. Click here to visit Hope United's website.