Dear Wake Up Family:
When I was considering subjects for this article, I planned to write about the high levels of fear and anxiety that people are experiencing today. However, in light of this past weekend’s events, it will have to wait.
On July 13, for the first time in half a century, a presidential candidate was attacked. While the assassination attempt on Donald Trump was unsuccessful, it calls attention to one cause of the fear that our nation and its people are facing. The divisiveness in our land is creating fear in people’s hearts and could rip the nation apart.
Jesus made a profound statement when He said that any kingdom or house that is divided against itself cannot stand (Luke 11:17; Mark 3:25; Matthew 12:25). While authors and orators have often quoted this statement, Abraham Lincoln used it on June 16, 1858, in his “House Divided” speech stating that he believed the US government could not endure permanently being half slave and half free. This one issue nearly ended the US and precipitated the only conflict between US states in history. However, we are rapidly approaching a deadly conflict that will expose significant differences between individuals and states. The devil loves chaos and creating division between humans. In our secular world, Satan can freely impress people to focus on the differences that divide people, states, and nations. If allowed, Satan can even use division to successfully separate us from God.
As Christians, God calls us to a higher standard. “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” (Philippians 4:8) Unfortunately, we live in an environment that exhibits the opposite, and the society we live in glorifies falsehood, ignobility, corruption, impurity, ugliness, degradation, mediocrity, and disgrace. Politicians have elevated lying to a form of art, both accusing their opponents of lying and promoting falsehoods themselves. Human trafficking in the US is setting new records. Homosexuality and transgenderism are rampant, and degenerates are trying to extend these perversions to children who are ill-equipped to recognize their dangers. Society idolizes people with the lowest morals and laughs at those who attempt to be pure. With the debauchery that we can’t avoid seeing, is it any wonder that the ground is fertile for the devil to perform his machinations?
Let’s consider some of the ways Satan is using to tear down institutions and families. Over the centuries, some of the bloodiest conflicts have been due to differences in ethnicity. The US has had a proud tradition of being a melting pot, blending the strengths of many cultures to create a new vibrant culture. In the past fifty years, western societies have drifted toward multiculturalism, which promotes the unique elements that each ethnic group brings to a culture. Unfortunately, politicians and ethnic leaders have emphasized the differences and grievances between groups of people and attacked the issues that could unify us. The US is developing silos with monolithic ethnicity where people do not speak a common language, share the same ideals, or support similar governmental structures. This conspires against a shared citizenry facing similar benefits and challenges. Multiculturalism is not a recent development. The children of Israel faced issues with multiculturalism when they left their Egyptian slavery with a group of non-Israelites. (Exodus 12:38) When the ex-slaves began facing hardships, the rabble was the first group to complain about the manna the Lord provided, instead, they craved meat for their diet. (Numbers 11:4) The unrest and complaining spread to the rest of the camp separating the people from Moses and their divine leader, Jesus. Today, a similar lack of shared identity between different ethnic groups causes separation between the groups, and the real and perceived differences between the groups create division and weaken society.
The family structure has continued to erode, leaving economic hardship, damaged children, and generational conflict in its wake. Children of divorced parents are 1.5 to 2 times more likely to engage in risky sexual behavior, live in poverty, and have unstable relationships. In the US, single parents are raising 63% of Black children and 42% of Hispanic children. Lack of familial support is a significant cause of the crime epidemic in US inner cities.
In the 1980s, I had the opportunity to visit Acapulco. Barb and I stayed at an exclusive beachfront hotel, and one evening, a group of Mexican industrial representatives gathered for a banquet. We sat in the lobby and watched the fashion show as the bejeweled attendees walked by in their extravagant evening gowns and designer suits. A couple of hundred yards away on the beach, armed security guards prevented anyone who wasn’t in the exclusive crowd from entering the resort grounds. That was the first of several times that I noticed the stark difference between the economic status of people in the US as compared to other countries. The US has a majority middle-class population with a minority in the upper- and lower-income levels, unlike other countries with a much smaller middle class. Throughout US history, leaders have attempted to provide an environment where individuals who worked hard could become a part of and enjoy the benefits of the middle class. However, during the past fifty years, the US middle-income population has decreased, and both the upper- and lower-income groups have increased as a percentage of the population. In a quest for financial benefit or power, political and social leaders have claimed to care for the lower-income population, while implementing programs that have divided people and reduced incentives for people to strive to improve their situation in life.
As Christians who anticipate Jesus’ imminent return, we can understand how Satan is working to divide people and nations. Currently, there are nearly 40 armed conflicts occurring throughout the world, most due to ethnic rivalries. While we understand that there will be wars and rumors of wars until the end comes (Matthew 24:6), there is little we can do but recognize that they are a harbinger of the time Jesus will act in this world. We cannot help but observe divisions between groups of people and individuals because the media, in a quest for money and relevance, constantly shares the depravity of society. As Christians, we may not have the same issues that divide us, but Satan uses different methods to create disunity. Whether it is politics, religion, moral behavior, family conflict, or minor disagreements, he will capitalize on creating discord because if we focus on what divides us, we will actively share or exhibit what Jesus has done and will do for us.
The following illustration may help explain the concept. The bottom of the chart shows some of the groupings to which we may belong. Multiculturalism would have us identify the characteristics of each category and emphasize the differences. The risk in that concept is that the Devil (divider) also focuses on the differences, so we build fences between groups to separate us. As we become closer to Christ, we draw closer to others outside our group, and we become unified in the purpose that He has given us. The differences that could cause problems are reduced, and we become closer to one another. There are many more groups and subgroups that we could add to the chart. For example, remember that Satan works to separate the family unit through divorce, abuse, dysfunction, and conflict. As the family members draw closer to Christ and reflect Him to each other, they become closer, and Satan is unable to create conflict between them.
In Jesus’ final prayer before He was arrested, He said, “I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you.” (John 17:20–21) When we draw closer to Jesus, we become closer to one another. Separate from Jesus, and the devil can easily draw us apart. I remember that old hymn Benjamin Baur wrote nearly a century ago, “What the World Needs is Jesus.” May the divisions in our sinful world that separate us fade when we focus on Jesus, our soon-coming Savior!
Marty
