Do you ever wonder if the past intersects the present?
I am quite interested in World War Two. If you have ever read any of my book reviews you will see there are many well-written books on that time period listed. My interest in all areas of World War Two has been a life long passion and has made me a student of the late 1930s and 1940s in Europe and the United States. Especially in re-guard to the human plight of the Holocaust.
This weekend I watched the movie Woman in Gold
. It is a movie with three storylines. The first is the story of Maria Altman and her quest to have returned her family’s Klimt portraits that were taken from her family by the Nazis. The second plot is Maria’s young life with her family in Austria and her escape from that country after Hitler came to power. Lastly, the account of Maria’s lawyer, a young father, and husband that is faced for the first time with what happened to his own family in Austria during the Holocaust. Each storyline asks the question…How does the past intersect with the future? After every book I read or movie I watch about World War Two, the same questions come to my mind. What would I have done? I know what I would have wanted to do but would I have had the courage to really do it? Would I pass the test?
Fast forward to our modern-day and new question arises. What is taking place today in our own culture that is contrary to God’s Word? Being a student of history causes one to examine everyday events through the lens of the past. Understanding that history repeats itself should cause us to slowly review the current events of the day but even more important cause each of us as believers to examine our hearts. I must confess that when I do that I am not at all pleased with what I find.
For me, one of the most challenging things is to move past the politicization of current events. One side says one thing and the other side says another. Depending on your political persuasion you “buy into” what a particular party says is the truth. As Christians, we absolutely must stop doing this. We must consistently go to God’s Word to find the truth. When we do this we see that what God is asking us to do is often in direct conflict with our politics. Let me clarify, I am absolutely NOT telling you to leave the political arena but rather to recognize that our hope is not in political ideology but rather in God. Continue to treasure the freedom you have in this county to vote your conscience!
As I reflect on how the past intersects the present, particularly the lessons learned from World War Two. I am so thankful to have the Bible available to study so that I can come to the right conclusions.
- God cares about people. God hates sin but amazingly still loves the sinner, so much He sent His Son Jesus Christ to save them.
- He cares about people who are walking in His ways and yearns to offer Salvation to people that are not walking in His ways.
- God cares for the brokenhearted, the widow, the orphan, the slow, the immigrant, the homosexual, the person with different color skin than you, the unborn, the mentally ill, the homeless, the persecuted, the poor and the rich,the lonely and yes, God still cares for the Jewish people.
What are the hot topics of the day?
Abortion
Homosexuality
Illegal Immigration
Racial Issues
Welfare
Homelessness
Israel
My question to you, is have you checked out what the Bible has to say on these issues? Really, taking the time to cry out to God about each one of these topics to find how He would like you to respond. Studying, not to prove your own beliefs but rather studying to find out what God says and requires of us. Believing God’s Word is true and most importantly, believing it is truer than your opinion about the issues.
We belong to a generation of Biblically illiterate people. That can cause some major problems in how we respond to these volatile issues. Are we going to rely on how we “feel” or are we going to respond in love to those people God wants to bring to Himself and give Salvation? We can easily confuse being angry with the sin (that is called righteous anger) with being angry with the people who are involved in and with the sin. Shouting awful things at people will never affect a lasting change. It just makes the problem worse. Let us all submit to God’s way! Let us continue to hate the sin, especially the sin in our own lives. Always seeking repentance and show love to our neighbors even when, especially when we don’t agree with them. Let our relationship with them bring them one step closer to Jesus and the Salvation He freely gives.
As I look back on the past and how it intersects the present day, specifically the atrocities that took place during World War Two. I contemplate how a whole culture could look on and watch as the Jewish people were robbed, persecuted, and killed? How the handicapped, homosexual, and gypsy were murdered. Orthodox Christianity was prohibited. Where were the Christians? Brave people like Dietrich Bonhoeffer and Corrie Ten Boom were sharing their faith and making a difference. When we look at the numbers though, most people stayed silent.
This fact chills me to the bone!
It causes me to examine myself in light of eternity. It challenges me to take a good hard look at myself and ultimately causes me to repent of my selfishness and try again.
I am a homemaker, mother of 6, wife, neighbor. My sphere of influence does not reach all that far. I can be tempted to think (and I do) that I am unable to do anything to help the cause of justice. It isn’t true though. I can make a difference right where I am.
How?
- I can pray! I am able to change the world on my knees.
- I can teach my children to interact with the world through a Christian Worldview and train them to “defend the least of these”.
- I can correct injustice in my own home or neighborhood. If I see something happening that is not right in God’s eyes. I can pray and ask God to give me the courage to say something…to do something.
“Not all of us can do great things.
But we can do small things with great love.”
– Mother Teresa
In conclusion, I would like to restate that in fact, the past does intersect with the present. We still have much to grasp from it. I would like to challenge each one of you to make your life one that contemplates history, learns from it, and makes the appropriate changes. That you will grow in spirit and in truth, so you may be equipped to do many small things with great love. Please pray that God will challenge your faith with the truth of His Word.
YOUR TURN…
Comment below, Let me know your opinion. I love hearing from you!
Blessings,
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Lots of things to think about. Our country is so bogged down in politics. People either care too much, and they fight about it, or they are completely ignorant. What upsets me is when people vote their party because of money, and those who are ignorant are ignorant because they are so wrapped up in worldly things.
You’re right, God needs to be at the heart of all we do. I think satan has done such a good job of making people believe there is no God that people have forgotten they will be held accountable for their actions on earth. They haven’t learned, or choose to ignore the fact that if they live their earthly lives without God, they will also live eternally without Him — and that’s hell.
I red a book once, Gut Check, and wrote a review with a long passage from the book. ( http://prayingforgrace.blogspot.com/2008/08/why-did-god-create-evil.html ) which really helped me understand why there is suffering in this world. We, as little people with little influence, must pray, but we can also align our suffering with Christ’s, and make it useful for mankind.
I am in agreement with you Barbara, especially your point about aligning ourselves with Christ’s suffering. This point of suffering with Christ has helped me through many a tough time. To think we can be like Jesus and not suffer impossible. Jesus, our precious Savior suffered so we must too. Thank you for the book recommendation. I will be reading it and I am sure my readers will appreciate the suggestion!
Great post, Janelle, so hard to look back and then look into our hearts and see if we could be just as brave or just as fearful as then….
You asked some tough but important questions.
Glad I was your neighbour over at #ThoughtProvokingThursday!
Thanks for your kind comment Christine! I pray the post was an encouragement to you!
Wonderful work! This is the type of info that should be shared around the web. Thank you =)
Thank you so much for the encouragement, Becky!