I don't know if it's just me, but I seem to be noticing a building wave of anger, frustration and despair among people in general. I was downtown the other day and encountered no less than three verbally violent exchanges; not between liberals and conservatives, not between gays and straights, not even between Christians and Muslims. These vitriolic high-volume screaming matches took place on a street corner, a parking lot and a retail outlet entryway...between couples. No clue as to relationship or context, just the spewing of toxic rage between what could easily have been husbands and wives.

 I've grown more accustomed in recent years to the occasional homeless person ranting to themselves as they pass by me on the streets. I'm not even too shocked at the irrational venting that seems to have replaced coherent conversation in the anonymous safety of our darkened internet chat rooms or the utter disregard for personal dignity and respect that characterizes too many Facebook exchanges these days. But this sudden exposure to human meltdown so many times in rapid succession left me a tad breathless.

As the proud owner of a quality-grade Irish temper (softened Lo these many years by God's soothing Spirit and persistent correction), I'm very aware of the momentary pleasure offered by indulging one's passions at someone else's expense. All that is required is to suspend our awareness that the person we are excoriating is a living creation of God for whom Christ came to die; a vessel of His image and an object of His love...a mirror image of our own fallen brokenness and sin, desperately in need of grace.

As our world and our culture continue their millennial descent into unrestrained self-indulgence, two things are going to happen. First, it's going to get worse. No sense sugar-coating it. We can expect the world around us to grow more transparent and honest about its commitment to godless living; this will not improve the overall tone of social intercourse... "But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God" (2 Tim 3:1-4).

Second, and most importantly, the light we shed by our faithful witness to the Lordship of Christ will become vastly brighter by its growing contrast with the surrounding darkness. The love, joy and peace that flows from the conversation and actions of men and women led by the Spirit of God will take on an unprecedented brightness as the darkness of this evil age takes a firmer grip. What you and I say and do in the days and years to come may increasingly serve as the last and best offerings of grace available to the people we meet. Therefore "Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven." (Matt 5:16).

We don't have to stem the tide...Jesus has already done that. We just need to show up and trust that our love, our gentle answer and our faith in the Lord will accomplish wonders beyond our knowledge. What He has promised He will perform.

Pastor Matt