Stephen
Terry, Director
The
Birdcage
Commentary
for the July 16, 2022, Sabbath School Lesson
"Dear friends, do not be
surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though
something strange were happening to you. But rejoice inasmuch as you
participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his
glory is revealed." 1 Peter 4:12-13, NIV
This week's lesson is almost a
synopsis of Maya Angelou's book, "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings." It is a
tale of finding one's song despite adversity and suffering. An incredibly old
story that finds its roots in Bronze Age narratives echoed in the Iron Age
writings of the Bible. It has been the most compelling theme in literature,
art, and song to the present day. Because of the adversity we experience in our
own lives, we identify with, and root for, the underdog. Seeing him overcome
his challenges and succeed, we are reinforcing our belief that our own story
will turn out the same.
Much in this world argues
against that. Vicious dictators destroy their enemies at will within their own
domains where they sow darkness and despair, destroying hundreds, if not
thousands, of individuals and leaving their families as destitute pariahs. Not
content with destroying their own society, they even visit destruction on
neighboring countries who refuse to be subjugated to the same terror.
The never-ending Covid Pandemic
has put over six million people to death. The repeated rounds of vaccinations,
hand washing, sanitizer use, and mask wearing, while effective, do not seem to
eliminate repeated surges of infection and death. Some of this may be due to
pandemic fatigue that causes us to lower our guard over time. But whether
self-induced or the result of limitations on what science can achieve, the
coronaviruses often are a step ahead of us, ready to increase their numbers and
variants at our expense.
Included with these challenges
is the uncertainty whether we will see our loved ones again when we go to the
grocer's or to church. The random murders of large numbers of people by the
mentally ill, who tote semi-automatic assault weapons to express outwardly on
others the pain they are feeling inside, haunt us all. While the mangled bodies
are instant evidence of the destruction they cause, no one knows how much more
mental illness will be sown among the family members of the victims because of
the horror and loss. Every evil act sows the seeds of the next round of evil.
Sadly, this is not a one-for-one equation. Like a cancer that has metastasized
it is spreading to every sector of society to where some are questioning
whether it can ever be rooted out, fearing the patient is terminal either way.
Faced with these and other
challenges, it seems normal to question whether humanity is on an inevitable
slide to its own demise. Is there something broken about us that cannot be
fixed? Are we facing an eventual mass extinction event like the dinosaurs
faced? How ironic this would be. We are the most self-aware species on the
planet, yet are we unable to prevent our own end?
The Bible recognizes this
problem from the very beginning with the mystery of why one human being would
end the life of another as when Cain killed Abel. That wickedness also spread
and multiplied to the extent there was no obvious way to save humanity from
itself without eliminating the cancer. Like an Etch-a-Sketch, the earth was
shaken with a flood, clearing the screen to start anew, stopping the spread of evil.
Unfortunately, the seeds of that evil were already sown among the post-diluvian
survivors. Ham's descendants went on to build the Hittite, Egyptian,
Babylonian, and Assyrian Empires. The Hittites were descendants of Canaan.
Their empire was destroyed during the general collapse that occurred at the end
of the Bronze Age, even though they had once been strong enough to defeat Babylon
and had inflicted punishing losses on Egypt at the Battle of Kadesh. Egyptians
were descendants of Ham's son Egypt. The Babylonians and Assyrians were descendants
of Ham's son Cush through Nimrod. All these empires were built through the
subjugation of others via wars of conquest.
Suffering's long history has not
only produced these and many other empires. It has also produced an endless
stream of sufferers. As though suffering from natural causes like disease, old
age and the loss of loved ones are not enough, we must also inflict additional suffering
on one another. While some simply chalk this up to the result of original sin
and the fall of humanity from a prehistoric state of perfection, idealized by
the concept of the Noble Savage living at one with nature, humanity is
fundamentally broken. This is not to say that we have not been successful at
dominating the earth, much to the chagrin of the environment. But we seem
unable to stem our more destructive narcissistic tendencies and the suffering
that results.
While the Bible recognizes this
downward trend, it also offers a way forward that does not require violence,
force, and the subjugation of others. The words of Jesus tell us to trust in
God rather than in our own strength of arms to thrive. In the face of the
political aspirations of so many, aspirations that have created deep divides,
that is a radical thought. It is even more radical for those who have long
since stopped taking the idea of God's existence seriously. Putting down their
weapons, both real and virtual, and trusting someone they believe is a fantasy
requires more faith than they can muster. In their minds, only a fool would do
such a thing. Of course, if the existence of God is in doubt, what does that
say about the possibility of eternal life? If this life is all we have then
best to cling to it with all one's might. But the idea carries its own
contradiction for no matter how much we fight to preserve it, like a puff of
smoke, a vapor, it is soon over, and the vanity of our efforts are revealed for
the dust and ashes they are.
In the 1982 film, "Conan the
Barbarian," Conan is asked what is best in life. He responds, "To crush your
enemies, see them driven before you, and to hear the lamentation of their
women!" He epitomizes the popular view, but the radical, Jesus of Nazareth, says
instead, "Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that
hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you."
(Matthew 5:44) This can be a hard teaching to accept, for we are reminded
continually through all forms of media that such people are losers and only
fodder for the sword of the violent. Almost every problem is solved with a gun
in both movies and television series. After decades of being taught this lesson
in the media, everything within our being rebels at the thought of willingly
setting aside violence as an answer to evil. Compounded with the idea of our
short lives being all there is, the setting down of our arms seems untenable.
With every fiber of our being set against it, it seems easier to join with the
mob and reject the idea of God and consequently the idea that he cares at all
about what happens to us. If, as we believe as Seventh-day Adventists, there is
truly a great controversy between God and the Devil over who shall own us, wouldn't
that be exactly the position the Devil would have us to be in? I cannot think
of a better strategy to enthrall a planet to him. How ironic that the one who said,
"You will not surely die!" to Eve now uses the very real aspect of certain
death to control humanity.
However, the lie effectively confirms
the opposite, the possibility of eternal life, conditionally offered. A light
shines in the darkness of the charnel house. A short life followed by an
ignominious death is not the only option as we were led to believe. This life
with all its suffering and woe is not all there is. And it is certainly not the
best there is.
Like most lies there is a grain of
truth to make it palatable. The Devil is right. This life is short, but that
means it cannot begin to compare to what awaits us beyond. It also means that
the suffering we face now is but for a moment, a flickering of a flame soon
extinguished. "For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an
eternal glory that far outweighs them all." (2 Corinthians 4:17) With the understanding
of that revelation, even a caged bird can sing, rejoicing in the suffering that
proves the hope of a future of eternal joy and peace.
When a person is in fear of drowning,
they cling desperately to anything or anyone that comes in reach without
thought or reason. It is a reflex that has drowned others along with them who
were trying to rescue them, thereby thwarting their own rescue. We are like
that person, clinging to our weapons with a knee jerk reaction, believing they
will save us as we have always been told. The God who walks on the same water
that we are drowning in offers us his hand. Will we take it?