“May God give you grace to remember that the world is too dangerous for anything but truth, and too small for anything but love.”
These words are from the benediction Dr. Roger Paynter used as senior pastor at Jackson’s Northminster Baptist Church from 1989 through 1994. I invoke them here because today I am troubled.
I am troubled that in our supposedly enlightened society, filled with spiritual people – people of faith, so to speak – we still have an abundance of ills: bigotry, discrimination, war, greed, hate, and abuse, to name a few. These are things that hurt humanity. Things that harm our planet. Things that kill others’ spirits. Why? Why do these vile things still exist?
Blame it on hypocrites. Blame it on white supremacists. Blame it on Muslims. Blame it on the financial institutions. Blame it on Atheists. Blame it on Christians. Blame it on Jews. Blame it on Congress. Blame it on whomever you wish, but it’s not the sole fault of any one individual or organization or business, or religion or lack thereof. It is the fruit of evil.
Evil says, “I must have what’s mine, and I must have what’s yours, no matter the cost.” Evil says, “You are less than me because of your gender, race, social standing, sexual orientation or belief system.” Evil says, “I know what’s best for you, and I will force that on you either overtly or covertly, and I might even do it in the name of a Higher Power.” Evil says, “My faith is for the church or synagogue or mosque – not for my politics or my business.”
In a world that is too dangerous for anything but truth, evil lies to us, and many believe it.
Throughout our culture, fingers are pointed, names are called and people are denigrated. Then those who have been criticized so often turn and do the same thing to their oppressors, bringing everyone involved down to the lowest possible denominator. Fighting evil with evil means that, either way, evil wins.
Jesus said, “Do not return evil for evil.”
Native American wisdom says, “If you are happy at the expense of another man’s happiness, you are forever bound.”
Buddhism teaches, “Hat-reds never cease through hatred in this world; through non-hatred alone they cease. This is an eternal law.”
Socrates said, “Then we ought not to retaliate or render evil for evil to anyone.”
Gandhi said, “When I despair, I remember that all through history the way of truth and love have always won.”
Even Jimi Hendrix had it right: “When the power of love overcomes the love of power, then the world will know peace.”
In my disheartened state, hope came to me from a most unexpected source. On NBC’s “Meet the Press” host David Gregory was leading a panel discussion on the place and power of religion in the United States. He closed by recalling what he was taught as a child in synagogue: that we should always show love toward one another, if for no other reason than that we never know when death may come for any of us.
Love – even tough love – is the measure of any belief system worth following, and it takes true courage to face evil with love. One who is secure in love will not intentionally hurt or disparage others. One who is secure in love may hold strong beliefs, but love will give them the power to embrace those beliefs while respecting the rights of others to hold different beliefs. One who is secure in love will take the high road and not give in to the impulse to retaliate, rather responding with reverence.
Is practicing love in the face of evil too much to ask of us who consider ourselves spiritual?
In such a small, small world, I certainly hope not, because courageous love is our only true weapon against evil.
nRandy Weeks is an ordained minister and a Licensed Professional Counselor. He and his wife, Dr. Jeannie Falkner, call Oxford home.
