By David Hegg
If we are not careful, the chaos and madness of our world can overwhelm our thoughts and leave us emotionally numb or worse. I feel it. We live each day with reports of a relentless onslaught of shocking criminal violence. We are deluged with political lies and opponent-bashing of our increasingly uncivil political actors. We are treated to news videos that catch property-destroying protests, followed by personal news testimonies of the wreckage left after horrible, raging fires, floods and ice storms. And, to top it all off, the ceaseless haranguing and pontificating of puny-minded social media pundits can push my buttons and bring about a combination of infuriation and despair. Add to that the daily tally of missiles, bombs, sunken ships and fatalities, and I find myself singing that old song, “stop the world, I want to get off!”
Have you ever found yourself carrying a deep sense of anguish mixed with anger almost every day? Are you, like me, afraid your heart is building up a hard protective shell to keep the pain from becoming debilitating? I have, and it bothers me. I hate that there are times when I don’t feel as badly as I should when senseless murder, mayhem and tragedy dominate the headlines. I hate that wave after wave of misfortune can make my heart withdraw into a protective cave of non-feeling.
For me, the antidote is beauty. In the midst of pervasive gloom, an infusion of beauty can coax my heart out of the darkness and back into the vibrancy of human connectedness. Beauty reminds me I am human, and, yes, I am my brother’s keeper, regardless of who or where my brothers and sisters may be. Here’s where I find beauty, and I offer these to you as suggestions for interjecting some of its heart-lightening properties into your everyday.
First and foremost is my relationship with my wife. Beauty begins with a satisfying, rejuvenating relationship with the one who knows me best and loves me the most. Just being together is the greatest reminder that life is to be lived with joy, regardless of external circumstances. We were created for relationships, and it is here we find that sense of beauty and normalcy that grounds a positive outlook on life.
Second, I find time appreciating natural beauty to be relaxing and invigorating. Sharing a glass of wine while watching the sun set as the heat of the day diminishes can be encouraging to a ravaged soul. Taking time to enjoy a forest, river, lake, or ocean can do wonders to remind me that this world is not completely mad.
Of course, there are other ways to infuse beauty into your life. I love music and find that music that has endured for centuries moves and nourishes the soul. Great music restores emotional balance, engenders both joy and sadness for the right reasons, and brings the kind of relaxation that enhances enjoyment of life.
Why all this talk about beauty? From my vantage point, much of the rage and violence that has become commonplace in our world begins in hearts that just don’t see good anymore. They are fixated on what is broken and are largely blind to the good around them. This is not to say the brokenness doesn’t demand to be fixed. It does! But unless we approach the problems with emotional balance and a knowledge of what is truly good and right, we will forever be settling for immediate gratification, even if it is irrational.
It takes good people to solve bad problems. But we, the good people, must not succumb to the pervasive sentiment that doing bad can bring about good. Good people can only do good things if they remain good. While remaining unaffected by the hate-filled chaos around us is difficult, it is mandatory if we are ever to find common ground on the myriad problems we face.
My point is simple. Don’t let the pain and anguish of senseless violence harden your heart and leave you emotionally numb. Stay alive, in every sense. Infuse your days with beauty, and refuse to allow circumstances to force you into the raging and nasty anger-filled vulgarity that has become so commonplace. We’re better than that! It will take us being better people who can face our deteriorating culture with courage and sympathy if we are to stem the billowing tide of anger and despair.
James, the brother of Jesus, put it this way: “… let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.” (James 1:19,20). And adding some beauty every day can keep you emotionally and intellectually available to deal well with the circumstances that come your way, and be ready and able to help those around you realize that the sun will come up tomorrow.
Local resident David Hegg is senior pastor of Grace Baptist Church. “Ethically Speaking” appears Sundays.
