“But Jesus, on His part, was not entrusting Himself to them, for He knew all men, and because He did not need anyone to testify concerning man, for He Himself knew what was in man.”
~ John 2:24-25
Observing all that is happening around us these days can be profoundly sorrowful. The suffering during these past months, weeks, and days has left my heart troubled.
The death and severe illness from the COVID-19 pandemic.
The global economic struggles caused by closures.
The systemic racism that has again and again appeared around us.
The unravelling of society as riots have exploded around the nation and the world.
These days, watching the news has been deeply disheartening.
What should I expect?
However, while sorrow and pity and empathy over suffering are good in my heart, I must be careful to guard against thinking that humanity is capable of better. We are not, apart from Christ.
Jesus Himself was unwilling to entrust Himself to any man because He already knew what was in the heart of man. The same heart that led Cain to kill Abel, that led Lamech to murder for offense, that led Israel to pursue idols, that led Pilate to murder worshippers in the temple was the same heart that resided in everyone around Jesus. He didn’t trust them one bit.
And that same heart is in every unbeliever around us. There is no such thing as ‘common decency.’ Apart from the mercy of God through the Gospel, our feet are ‘swift to shed blood’ as Paul said (Rom 3:15).
Rejoicing in grace
However, while the bleak reality of human depravity is all around us, I must remember to thank God for His common and special grace. We live among lions, but God has seen fit to provide grace in the storm.
Things are not yet as bad as they could be. Generations before us have seen far greater atrocities. Among the sorrows all around us, the Lord has provided moments of peace, moments when things are not as bad as they could be.
And, praise God, the church has risen up to work for the sake of truth in many corners of our nation. Brothers of different races embrace one another. The work of the Gospel is uniting many.
My prayer in these days is that I will remember that man is terribly wicked, that the Gospel is profoundly powerful, and that love will bear good fruit among the nations, by God’s grace.
