Article February 1, 2016 Issue

No reign of terror

Devon LaMaster

Not too long ago, I attended a Christmas concert at a local community church. The selections from Vivaldi’s Gloria and Handel’s Messiah were uplifting and reviving. As I looked around me, into the faces of strangers, friends, and neighbors, I saw that the music seemed to bring a general atmosphere of reassurance, encouragement, comfort, and calm. Perhaps the peace, joy, and spiritual uplift of this seasonal, classical music touch our hearts every year. But recently, I’ve sensed a particular hunger for the fortification and restoration that feeds the soul, wherever we find it—in music, art, or even in quiet moments of solitude and reflection.

In the wake of several recent events of terrorism around the globe, we’ve probably all heard (or asked) the question: “What’s the world coming to?” It’s easy to become fearful or fascinated by disturbing news reports telling us of the latest threats and disasters. Our thoughts can quickly become preoccupied with anxieties, uncertainties, and the admonitions to constantly be on guard.

We may live in difficult times. But are these times more challenging than those experienced by the first Christians? For the disciples and followers of Christ Jesus, living during the early days of Christianity, it was often a life-threatening proposition to name the name of Christ, to stand up and be counted as a Christian. But those who caught the vision and saw the infinite value of Christ’s teaching pressed on despite the obstacles and severe opposition they faced. They weren’t stuck on the question, “What’s the world coming to?” But rather, as one evangelist of the previous century put it, they were instead seeing the power of Christ and proclaiming: “Look what has come to the world!” (E. Stanley Jones).

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