I couldn’t stomach watching it all. My heart hurt to witness the recording. Anguish seized me. Anger was right behind.
It was a brief video of violence enacted toward Christians in Nigeria. I couldn’t even tell who was already dead. Muslim extremists had them bound. They were throwing them against walls and hauling them like garbage. My hands shake even now as I recount for you what happened.
I was angry anyone would treat another human being this way. I was angry this was happening because of religion. I was angry this was recorded and I watched as much of it as I did. I used to keep up with stories of the persecuted church. Their suffering filled my daily prayers for quite a while. Then it hit me how much I forget about this happening now until I watch it. That stirred my anger as well.
If that wasn’t enough, I became angry at the church. The church you and I know most. Christians are suffering and being brutalized. Here we are arguing over some of the most foolish and selfish things. No, we’re not merely disagreeing. We’re contending with each other. Judging one another, and, quite frankly, milking our privilege. And that’s if we’ve even made our faith a priority.
I had to take a break.
Anger can morph into other damaging emotions and activities. So, we need to learn to regulate it. As we do, we learn to see what phycologists call restorative anger. This is when the anger doesn’t consume us. It leads us away from what is damaging toward strength and passion. Even healing.
The psalmist said, “Do not fret because of the wicked” (Psalm 37:1). Is that a message for someone who’s angered by a video or the fritter of the church? I suppose so. It’s hard not to fret sometimes. Seems like that word means something more to the suffering people in the video.
Still, we’re left to rethink what is important about ministry, about life and about our mission. In light of such real suffering, what is our response? How naïve is it to think there is anything we can do? And how will we allow the suffering others endure impact who we are and what we do as God’s church?
Or do we just watch the next video?
Stay blessed…john
