Ask The Pastor

By Pastor Scott Denham of Harvest Fellowship, Shambaugh, IA

  

Why Can't We Get Along?

 

Dear Pastor Scott,

       “I see a lot of angry people who are easily offended, given to anger, and quick to blame others. Why can’t people get along?” –Anonymous

            This problem is as old as mankind. We can’t get along because we’re selfish! Our human nature is so biased that we are full of good reasons to justify our position, our anger, or revenge. Patience, forgiveness, and general good-will, are often in short supply.

            If you will take an honest hard look into the heart of man and you will find a self-seeking, self-justifying  process at work in all of us. We seem to be unable to step back far enough from some situations to get a true and humble perspective. It’s always some else’s fault!

            Consider Adam and Eve, as they try to explain why they ate the forbidden fruit. He blames her. She blames the devil. And the devil blames God. No one’s willing to accept responsibility. As a result, Scripture teaches that we have taken on a sinful nature that desires self’s good above all others, and apart from God’s intervention, we continue in this pattern, no matter how well we have become in covering it up.

            Romans 8:5 gives us insight on the character of our nature: “People who are ruled by their desires think only of themselves. Everyone who is ruled by the Holy Spirit thinks about spiritual things.” In the previous chapter, the writer cries out with this universal question, sought by all mankind: “Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin?” A hopeful answer is given; “through Jesus Christ, our Lord.”

            Good counseling, self-help books, or a new resolve to do better, are helpful, but man must resign as the god of his own destiny, and yield his life in faith, to Christ. C.S. Lewis said, “we are not imperfect creatures who need a little fixing, but we are rebels, and we must lay down our arms.”

            Then, and only then, can we begin to be a part of the answer, in healing the wounds that separate us.

--Pastor Scott

To submit your question for Pastor Scott, you may write to: Ask The Pastor, PO Box 98, Shambaugh, IA 51651, or on the web at www.askpastorscott.com