This week our news has been filled with scenes of destruction, bombs and missiles raining down on cities across the Middle East. I am concerned that being able to watch this kind of warfare on screens in our living rooms will make the war more like a video game, robbing us of our empathy and care for real people who live in fear, whose lives are at risk every moment, and whose future is uncertain.
This CoffeeBreak is not pro-war or anti-war, nor are my words to be read as supporting or opposing the policies of our government. I write as a Christian to remind us that in spite of thousands of miles of distance from war zones we are still ‘neighbors.’ We share a common humanity with those in that region.
Tragically, ours is a culture of violence. Our movies create heroes who solve major problems with a spray of bullets. Our kids play realistic video games in which they learn to kill efficiently. Somehow, though we would deny it, I think many subconsciously have come to believe that the answer to evil in the world is producing more bombs and bullets!
Nations around the world build ever bigger machines of war spending treasure by the $billions to create weapons that kills more efficiently. And what are Christians saying? Many of us are silent; perhaps confused by the situations we face or even feeling it is foolish to advocate for other means of confronting evil. It may seem unpatriotic not to join the chorus for war and to rejoice in the destruction of those who oppose us. But what does God, our Father ask of us?
Yes, timid prayers for peace may be offered in churches. Lip service may be given to ‘loving our enemies’ but largely, it would seem to me, that many of us are largely ignorant of the core message of the Gospel. We are to be advocates of humanity, seekers of peace. Jesus said that “peacemakers are blessed and will be called the children of God.”
God loves life! The culture of death in which we live will deeply grieve those who share the heart of the Father. Murder came, the book of Genesis tells us, on the heels of envy when Cain killed his brother, Abel. Before that murder, we read the Lord’s call to Cain, one we need to hear anew. “Then the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it.” (Genesis 4:6-7, NIV) By the power of the Spirit, our hearts transformed by the Gospel of Christ, we can defeat the temptation to violence, first in ourselves, then in our culture.
God defeated evil not with an awesome display of angelic armies turned loose on wicked regimes but with the offering of His Son on the Cross. In the mystery of our salvation, we see Him breaking the power of Evil in submission to death and by completely identifying Himself with His creation. “Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross.” (Philippians 2) And in His sacrifice, He ended the reign of sin and death in our lives.
War comes, sometimes inevitably it seems. When it does, I hope we will weep with those who are crushed. I pray we will urge our government to be just and to use every means to end hostilities quickly for if we believe Jesus’ words, then we know that it is our neighbors who are suffering!
Jesus told a story about a man regarded as outcast, even enemy by the people of Jerusalem. His words, though simple, are compelling and I pray they will pierce us through the heart with Truth. May each of us ask again – “Who is my neighbor?” and hear the answer of Christ.
“But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”
In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him.
He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, took him to an inn and took care of him. The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’ “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?” The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.” Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.” (Luke 10:29-38, NIV)
Russell Moore urges us to remember that there are three traps into which we may fall in times of warfare. He warns of bloodlust, when it starts to “feel good to feel that pulse of vengeance.” He warns of sloth when “Americans will soon grow bored of hearing about this war and want to move on to other things.” And he warns of duplicity, claiming to believe one thing but cheering another. (link to the full article here – ( https://www.christianitytoday.com/2026/03/what-us-israel-iran-war-could-do-soul/ )
May God make us wise, fearless, and merciful, for Jesus’ sake.
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CoffeeBreak With The Word 
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