Breaking the Cycle of Violence: The Voice of Anmol

There are so many thoughts and ideas that permeate Christian thought and theology.  When we meet new Christians, I have found at times, there is a hesitancy that comes along with trying to discern if we will truly be friends based on some core belief system. How refreshing it is, when in my travels, I come across believers who just love on you, whether you believe in their Jesus or even their idea of predestination.

The topic of Christianity and my beliefs come up often and quickly because people always ask, "So what do you do?"  Their responses vary and sometimes, before we even really have taken time to know one another, we have waded together into the depths of complicated issues - or they just tell me what they think.

Because of this need for clarification ("so what denomination" or "what do you believe about 'x' ") often times I will simply say, "I'm a follower of Jesus Christ."  But even that can be confusing.

Predestination. Free-will. Where is God in suffering? What do you actually think happens during communion? Elders. Deacons. Bishops. Popes. Suits. No suits. Contemporary. Traditional. Accept gay people. Love gay people but not their lifestyle. Reject them altogether. Mission projects. Abortion. Women's rights. Women in the ministry. Interpretation of the Bible. KJV.  NIV. NRSV. NKJV. RSV. The Message. The Way. Endless other translations. Believer baptism. Infant baptism. Conformation.

So many various issues define who we are as a body of believers and as individual believers.  Can we ever make the merry-go-round stop long enough to just look and see if we are still following the living Christ? Which denomination would he choose? Which is the Holy Spirit's favorite? Does God feel that one comes closest to worshiping God's true nature best?

This very blog exists to contemplate many of these various topics (I even had one chosen for today), but when I was reading through the news as reported by Christian Today (an online webpage I visit) one story stuck out.  Headline:  7 year-old Indian boy tortured and killed for being a Christian. I did not want to read it but I felt compelled to hear his story.  You can read it by clicking the link.

None of the things I mentioned before matter to me right now. I have an image stuck in my head of the violence done to this child and I just sit. It is a gripping story that I am sure will haunt me for some time to come. No one should ever die like this.  What can motivate another human to do something so atrocious? Was it their own religious beliefs? Usually this is what causes killing over a person's convictions. A quote from the article said, "but the killing of a child like this is unheard of." If only that were the truth.

We have not to look beyond our own Holy Scripture to see the Psalmist praying, lamenting to God, for the children of their enemies to be dashed against the rocks (Psalm 137 - happy is the one who dashes your infants upon the rocks). Our Bible is riddled with acts of violence, many done in the name of God and even in obedience to God. It can become confusing.

Yet here is where we turn to Jesus, the model and perfecter of our faith, just as the family of this young boy have. A favorite description given to Jesus from seminary was when a professor looked at us all and said, "Jesus breaks the cycle of violence.  He steps into the cycle and instead of perpetuating it he absorbs it."  Through the cross he absorbed the violence of the world and of all sin, though through great cost and intense pain, while at any moment he could have called on a host of angels.

We will never understand all of what truly happened through the cross, but it seems important that our Christ chose to end the cycle of violence in this world by taking it upon himself.

It hurts to absorb violence, even when it's the small stuff. Allowing someone else to win an argument when you know you're right. Ignoring a hurtful comment from someone and letting it go. Getting cut off in traffic and not retaliating instead of instigating a hand gesture match which might very well escalate more violence. Forgiving someone of a wrong they have done us.

These are all quite difficult things to do, but what about praying for and forgiving those who brutally murdered your seven year old son? Did you read what they did to him? And after all of his torture he died from drowning. It would be beyond difficult for me to not immediately begin plotting my revenge, even calling out to our Father for sweet retribution to the children of my son's killers.

(Found at christiantoday.com)

This is when we find out none of our theology matters - not really. What matters is the question - do we follow our Messiah? Our Messiah stepped into the path of violence to end it. Maybe this is what Matthew 16:25 is all about. Can we follow in those footsteps?

Can we break the cycles of violence in our own lives by letting the voice of Anmol whisper to us through his untimely and horrific death? What were you thankful for this Thanksgiving? I'm thankful for Anmol and his faith. I am thankful that he reminds me of what real faith costs and how I should be pursuing Christ in my own life. Thank you my brother.