Pressure reveals the person.
It’s always when things are tough and the stress piles on that what’s underneath emerges.
When all our kids were young and I was running a church office out of my home, the phone often rang right in the middle of some kind of family pandemonium. Our daughter Anna used to yell “Quiet!” at the top of her lungs, then in the ensuing moment of silence would pick the phone up with an ultra-competent voice saying, “Campbell’s. How can I help you?” No one ever knew what had been going on a split second before.
This past year has been the year of the pressure cooker not just for individuals, but for our society as a whole. And the pressure is revealing a lot.
At the time of the Bosnian civil war when many atrocities were being committed right in the heart of modern Europe, a historian made a chilling but true remark: “The veneer of civilization is very thin.” As if we didn’t know that after the Holocaust! But memories are short, and people are convinced we live in a new golden age of science, technology and good will.
You don’t have to look far to see the nastiness of human nature these days. Or the bitter divisions that emerge in an apparently peaceful community. We have a couple of community facebook pages in our town that are supposed to be places of encouragement and help, but have turned into a form of profanity-riddled civil war.
As it has moved away from its Biblical roots, our culture has reverted to the pre-Christian worldview in which everyone fights for their own rights at the expense of others. I’m afraid of getting sick, so even though I’m vaccinated, I will do my best to exclude you from society if you’re not. Or, I’m not vaccinated and I’ll exercise my right to eyeball you maskless within an inch of your face.
As Christians, we follow the One who had all rights in heaven and earth, yet gave them all up on our behalf.
How therefore can we learn once again to live like he did?
Some churches, at least in Canada, seem to have lost Biblical perspective these past months. It is perfectly legitimate to question the value of lockdowns. But it is a terrible witness when we violate rules a duly-elected government, for better or worse, has put in place, and offend our fearful unbelieving neighbours in the process, and do it all in the name of Christ.
There is something wrong when Christians fighting for their rights look just like everyone else.
Many years ago, I wrote a doctoral thesis on the subject of Christian freedom. I think I may need to dust it off.
We have a message this self-centred world needs to hear. Wearing a mask into a store may not make a difference in the end. But if we’re not prepared to sacrifice our rights even on small matters like that, there’s not much hope for the spiritual awakening we are all looking for.
Revival begins when the church begins to follow Jesus in the way of the cross.
That’s something I’ll fight for.
CONSIDER PARTNERING WITH DAVID & ELAINE CAMPBELL IN HELPING TO SUSTAIN THEIR ACTIVE MINISTRY.
AWAKENING MINISTRIES // FOUNDATION of FAITH Project
Foundation of Faith Project is strengthening generations in faith and bringing beautiful changes to the communities around them. Through teaching, mentoring and coaching, many are finding out who they are and who they are destined to be. They are bringing more to their world. David Campbell is the key leader in this initiative and you can support him financially directly through Awakening Ministries.
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