The Violent Will Always Find Another Reason to Live by the SwordAmericans are led by people who use violence to solve problems, but Jesus warned us that violence only generates more problems.
There are a lot of different ways to live your life as a person and to exist as a society. For better or worse, in America, we tend to “live” by the economy and market. There are a lot of ways we can “live” as individuals and as a nation. We can “live” by prayer, community, individualism, alliances, education, innovation, and, most famously, we can live by violenece—living by the sword. Jesus said that those who live by the sword will die by the sword, and that makes me think that there is a type of person who embraces violence as a way of life. The sword is a zero-sum approach to life that only stops when it’s overcome by someone stronger. The violent don’t easily stop and reflect on their ways without someone else intervening. If you live by the sword, you rely on the sword and you believe that violence can solve problems and get what you want. If something doesn’t work out, you didn’t use enough violence or the right kind of violence. Commitment to violence as a way to live doesn’t invite reflection and consideration. The solution is violence no matter what the problem may be. It can be hard to argue against violence at times because it’s now removed from the faces of people who are killed. The target is acquired on a screen like a computer game and then neutralized by a drone, missile, or shell. We can always be convinced that they deserved it and somehow wronged us first. This violent action is supposed to resolve the chain reaction of conflict the other side started. “If we can just get this missile strike to take out the bad guys, we can finally be safe and free!” The weapons change, but the lies of violence reamin the same. We should know that we are only perpetuating more violent responses that can be used to justify more violence. The violent prove themselves as untrustworthy and make it nearly impossible to negotiate peace or to build safety. Who can live at peace with someone who lives by the sword? Ironically, the violent create their own self-justifying cycle to continue using the sword over and over again. As they create fear, hate, and a thirst for revenge among their enemies, living by the sword appears to be the only “sane” way to live in this insane cycle of violence. The death and Resurrection of Jesus looms large over our current situation right now where God showed us the way to respond to violence and hate. It appears weak, even if it requires strength beyond what I can imagine. God’s way challenges us to stop thinking of all the reasons why we could strike back at our enemies and to start thinking of all the ways we could demonstrate God’s radical love. That’s not the kind of message that wins elections, but it is the sort of thing that could save our souls. You're currently a free subscriber to Ed Cyzewski :: Author // Contemplative // Maker. For the full experience, upgrade your subscription.
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