Q. When you tell people to avoid angry or unpleasant people, aren’t you just giving in to a form of escapism? Wouldn’t it be more realistic to confront and face those who annoy us? Aren’t you avoiding reality and using Christianity as a crutch?
Answer:
The Hospital
Yes. We are embracing a form of “escapism.”
Friend, Christianity is not just a crutch – it’s the entire hospital! In looking around at our human condition and the planet’s malfunctioning, it appears we need help desperately. We need a “Healer.”
Environmental & Human Disaster
Just look at a recent earthquake in China several years ago which killed thousands and left over a million homeless, or the typhoon in Myanmar which was exacerbated by the selfish behavior of a sinful, cruel government. It seems the earth itself is breaking apart while the men living on it are becoming more insane and evil. This planet is an environmental and human disaster!
A Visited Planet
The famous English Literature professor, C.S. Lewis, suggested that we live in a hostile, broken, dying world that is under quarantine from the entire universe.
Our only hope in this tragic place is that God visited us by assuming human form. He paid the penalty for our brokenness and sins by dying on the cross. Instead of our having to atone for our own sins, God did it for us. In the incarnation God became one of His own creations and suffered with us. Lewis said, “We are a visited planet.”
Undesirable Traits
The book of Galatians gives us a list of character traits which are indicative of the human sin condition. They are things like immorality, promiscuity, hatred, anger, selfish ambitions, envy, drunkenness (Gal. 5:19-21). We are told to avoid people who exhibit these traits (2 Tim. 3:5).
Good Characteristics
Galatians 5:22 lists traits which we should desire and emulate. They are things like love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, gentleness, and self-control. Paul tells us to think about good things like these traits and the human beings who practice them (Philippians 4:8).
If this is “escapism” bring it on! The Bible tells me to make the most of my time here on earth because there is so much evil out there (Eph. 5:15).
In other words, I can’t waste time trying to appease those who are unappeasable.
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