As the globe watches the reaction of the United States to the chemical attack in Syria allegedly committed by the Assad regime, we have an opportunity to learn some hidden yet very apparent lessons. The more talk that takes place in the House and Senate the more confusing the picture gets. The United States seems to always cling to United Nations resolutions as a moral compass to act and it's the UN, itself, that dissolves it's own credibility by ignoring it's own mandates. The UN became nothing more than a ceramic doll house especially during the reign of Saddam Hussein and the "weapons of mass destruction" debacle there. Aside from the particulars in any conflict or war, what lessons can be learned on a human level? What can we realize about our tendencies of human nature that we can use to counter possible further military campaigns?
It is interesting how any ratcheting up of political rhetoric or military movement against another country tends to eventually lead to war itself. It's all part of "wars and rumors of wars" (Matthew 24:6) as referred to by devout Christians. It's this ratcheting up that I want to dwell on for this post. After all, is it not the political escalation that becomes the campaign toward winning public sentiment in favor of a desired action? Of course it is! This post is not an endorsement or rejection for any action that Congress may authorize. However, it is published to serve as a guide toward how we might deflect options of war in the future.
Christian or not let me relate a story that we can all learn from. Referring to Christians it is obviously from the Bible. I refer to the Book of Kings 2 Chapter 5:1-15. Here we have a highly esteemed man of the king named Naaman. Now this man was also a leper. Being highly favored of the king, when the king got word that a prophet in Israel may be able to cure Naaman, the king hastened to send word to the king of Israel. The message said that Naaman had already been dispatched to Israel to seek audience and respite of leprosy from this prophet. The prophet was Elisha. The king of Israel was a little ticked and hinted that it may be a reason for the king of Syria to contend with him. The kings reactions here are really beside the point.
Naaman made it to the door of Elisha. Interestingly, Elisha sent a messenger to Naaman bearing counsel to bathe himself in the river Jordan seven times. This set Naaman off! First off, this is a man who expects results. When he sets out to meet with someone he expects to meet that person and have a productive session. The perceived attitude from Naaman was "How dare he treat me like this, an emissary of the king of Syria!" He goes on to question the river Jordan and competes it with the rivers Abana and Pharpar which were both near Damascus near his home in Syria. He belittles the Jordan and questions why that particular river to be cleansed in.
It wasn't until his servants calmly counseled with him that Naaman took on a little faith and became teachable at that moment. He went to the Jordan and washed seven times. He came forth clean! He came forth clean! Yet this could not have happened until he became teachable. This requires a deliberate humbling of the self's body, mind and spirit. It's a quieting of the being in the intent to receive further knowledge or a hoped outcome. This is the point.
What does all this have to do with the current conflict and civil war in Syria? Everything...
When we get our faculties roused at the prospect of physical military action against another people our instinct of protection kicks in and we erect a wall in front of our understanding. From then on we feel as if we've got all power and rightful knowledge and cannot be taught any more as far as who's right and who's wrong. It's really not an ignorance factor because we openly and willingly categorize ourselves in the position of either a pro or a con.
When we are faced with a situation such as Syria or even Saddam Hussein of Iraq or countless others, perhaps it would be most beneficial to calm the senses as to keep that wall or barrier rent in order to receive new and useful information. Do we really need to send missiles for all to see to land on the Assad regime in order to cripple his biological weapons capabilities? Perhaps. However, I can't help but believe that with all our abilities in the modern world that we can find alternate and perhaps more effective avenues to strain this power. Could it be that missiles are always the first option suggested simply because they are the visible method by which the world watches and forms impressions of other countries? Have missile strikes become PR (public relations) campaigns?
Again, I'm not judging whether a strike on Syria and the Assad regime is the correct course of action. I'm only asking that we evaluate our senses as we enter times of escalation and gauge whether we are continuing to be teachable or hardened. In fact it's crucial! In times of war you want to be in the right. To always choose the right should be the pursuit of every human being. If we fail to be teachable then the odds of continuing on a path of rightful thinking and inspiration diminishes exponentially. In a highly volatile modern world where everything's at stake we need to remain our composure in times of heightened senses that we may further be edified as a people compelled in correct productive decisions.
After being cleansed Naaman comes forth with a renewed testament of the fruits of patience and being teachable. After this personal revelation he advanced to a new level of appreciation for the actions of Elisha and of the God of Israel. So may we, being teachable, come to new realms of understanding one with another through patience, humility and resolve that our fate may not be that of bathing ourselves in the ashes of our neighbor.
It is interesting how any ratcheting up of political rhetoric or military movement against another country tends to eventually lead to war itself. It's all part of "wars and rumors of wars" (Matthew 24:6) as referred to by devout Christians. It's this ratcheting up that I want to dwell on for this post. After all, is it not the political escalation that becomes the campaign toward winning public sentiment in favor of a desired action? Of course it is! This post is not an endorsement or rejection for any action that Congress may authorize. However, it is published to serve as a guide toward how we might deflect options of war in the future.
Christian or not let me relate a story that we can all learn from. Referring to Christians it is obviously from the Bible. I refer to the Book of Kings 2 Chapter 5:1-15. Here we have a highly esteemed man of the king named Naaman. Now this man was also a leper. Being highly favored of the king, when the king got word that a prophet in Israel may be able to cure Naaman, the king hastened to send word to the king of Israel. The message said that Naaman had already been dispatched to Israel to seek audience and respite of leprosy from this prophet. The prophet was Elisha. The king of Israel was a little ticked and hinted that it may be a reason for the king of Syria to contend with him. The kings reactions here are really beside the point.
Naaman made it to the door of Elisha. Interestingly, Elisha sent a messenger to Naaman bearing counsel to bathe himself in the river Jordan seven times. This set Naaman off! First off, this is a man who expects results. When he sets out to meet with someone he expects to meet that person and have a productive session. The perceived attitude from Naaman was "How dare he treat me like this, an emissary of the king of Syria!" He goes on to question the river Jordan and competes it with the rivers Abana and Pharpar which were both near Damascus near his home in Syria. He belittles the Jordan and questions why that particular river to be cleansed in.
It wasn't until his servants calmly counseled with him that Naaman took on a little faith and became teachable at that moment. He went to the Jordan and washed seven times. He came forth clean! He came forth clean! Yet this could not have happened until he became teachable. This requires a deliberate humbling of the self's body, mind and spirit. It's a quieting of the being in the intent to receive further knowledge or a hoped outcome. This is the point.
What does all this have to do with the current conflict and civil war in Syria? Everything...
When we get our faculties roused at the prospect of physical military action against another people our instinct of protection kicks in and we erect a wall in front of our understanding. From then on we feel as if we've got all power and rightful knowledge and cannot be taught any more as far as who's right and who's wrong. It's really not an ignorance factor because we openly and willingly categorize ourselves in the position of either a pro or a con.
When we are faced with a situation such as Syria or even Saddam Hussein of Iraq or countless others, perhaps it would be most beneficial to calm the senses as to keep that wall or barrier rent in order to receive new and useful information. Do we really need to send missiles for all to see to land on the Assad regime in order to cripple his biological weapons capabilities? Perhaps. However, I can't help but believe that with all our abilities in the modern world that we can find alternate and perhaps more effective avenues to strain this power. Could it be that missiles are always the first option suggested simply because they are the visible method by which the world watches and forms impressions of other countries? Have missile strikes become PR (public relations) campaigns?
Again, I'm not judging whether a strike on Syria and the Assad regime is the correct course of action. I'm only asking that we evaluate our senses as we enter times of escalation and gauge whether we are continuing to be teachable or hardened. In fact it's crucial! In times of war you want to be in the right. To always choose the right should be the pursuit of every human being. If we fail to be teachable then the odds of continuing on a path of rightful thinking and inspiration diminishes exponentially. In a highly volatile modern world where everything's at stake we need to remain our composure in times of heightened senses that we may further be edified as a people compelled in correct productive decisions.
After being cleansed Naaman comes forth with a renewed testament of the fruits of patience and being teachable. After this personal revelation he advanced to a new level of appreciation for the actions of Elisha and of the God of Israel. So may we, being teachable, come to new realms of understanding one with another through patience, humility and resolve that our fate may not be that of bathing ourselves in the ashes of our neighbor.
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