When troubled, it’s good to go back to basics

I listened intently to the words of President Barack Obama. He asked me to keep in mind 400 children who died in Syria with poison gas delivered to their neighborhood at the command of the head of their own government.

I find my mind going not simply to the 400, but to my grandchildren and great-grandchildren. My mind passed through the children with whom I worship each Sunday morning. My mind continues to the children who attend our nearby grade schools, middle schools and high schools. The lives of every one of those 400 are just as precious as those in my family and my neighborhood. Obviously, our president engaged me in the conversation about what to do about the abusers of life in our world.

I do not dare allow my anger to overwhelm me. I am a Christian and am committed to living according to the teachings of Jesus from Nazareth. I went through a process of laying down Jesus’ teaching alongside the atrocities of foolish dictators in the 21st century. I reread from the Matthew Gospel the passage commonly called “The Sermon on the Mount.” I could not find a single word that supports retaliation. The life that is blessed by God is meek, devoid of hunger for wealth, fame or power. It is peace loving, merciful and still does very well when persecuted, rejected and lied about. That is just for starters.

I am to stay away from violence and killing, be careful never to insult or make angry remarks. I am to be meticulously honest and never respond to violence with violence. Kindness is my best friend. Then come the tough parts.

I am to love not just neighbors, but enemies as well — not half-heartedly, but with perfection. And I am reminded to stay out of the judging business. I am reminded that I fall short of perfection and am not in a position to cast stones at anyone.

These standards are fundamental to my confession of Christ as the Lord of my life. These teachings of Jesus are basic to living as a Christian. In tough situations I return to these standards.

Do I dare ask my country to live by these standards? Does such behavior work in the real world of people thirsting for wealth and power? It may not always work in the short term, but I am willing to give such behavior a chance for the long-haul.

No one should doubt that we are the strongest nation in the world — not because of our military might, but because we do so many things very well. Let the critics howl, but we have more than 85 percent of the greatest research universities of the world. Our public school system is amazingly productive in turning out an educated population in spite of high mobility and constant immigration. Our monetary system is the model for the world. We are constantly re-energized with the greatest stream of immigrants the world has ever seen. Artists, musicians, actors — we produce them in an amazing stream.

Our separation of religion from affairs of state has made us the ideal home for deeply religious people to practice their faith, and they in turn constantly call our national morality to question. It is no wonder American English is the language of the world that is eagerly studied around the globe. Politically, we are admirably stable. We hold hotly contested elections and pass power from one administration to another without a hiccup. Americans have produced wealth at a level the rest of the world can only dream.

Does America have warts? Of course. We are not always pretty in what we do. Corruption abounds. However, we cannot deny that our privileged lives have placed us in the role of being an unchallenged world leader. We have the resources to be that leader even in places like the Middle East, Africa, South America and the Pacific Rim. All at the same time.

Our president, other national leaders and all Americans have no obligation to do things the Jesus way, but Christians like all other citizens have the unchallenged privilege of making recommendations to our American leaders. Our recommendations need not be heeded because Jesus said them or because they are found in the Bible. However, they might simply make sense to a great world leader like America.

Jesus was concerned about greatness. Once when talking with his disciples, Jesus said, “If any among you would be great, let him be the servant of all.”

I do not believe Jesus was a pacifist. I do not consider myself a pacifist. There may be times when the world needs an enforcer nation or group of nations. However, greatness will never be achieved by being an enforcer nation. America will become truly a great nation when her strength is exercised as the servant nation to the world. That is the challenge American Christians offer to our beloved nation.

In perilous times it is a good time to return to and examine our basic beliefs. This is one of those times.

The Rev. Howard Bess is a retired American Baptist minister, who lives in Palmer. His email address is hdbss@mtaonline.net.

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