During the Vietnam war era, which was from the late fifties through 1975, it was a very troubling time. This was the period of my growing up years at home. I remember seeing news casts on television about the war. I also remember seeing the riots that were particularly troubling during the sixties. At the time I could not understand all that was going on; I remember my father and uncles, all WWII veterans, getting riled up over the war and especially the riots. They were so upset about what was going on in Vietnam, and how we should be doing this or that, and of course, the riots were another hot topic they would tee off on. Listening to them didn’t clear matters up in my young mind. When I think back on those confusing days, I was less worried about Vietnam, until it hit home, and my cousin was drafted into the army and rushed into a combat zone. But since it was far away in another world, I still really didn’t think much about it; my cousin was just gone for a while and then came back.
When I saw the news about Vietnam with my parents, it was not nearly as alarming as the riots, those images were especially troubling and confusing. The news would show the riot violence, especially the Molotov cocktail bombs being thrown, things burning, police and people clashing, the things that are typical of high intensity civil unrest. The war was a news item, but I can’t remember being exposed to a combat violence scene on television that made an impression. The news showed clips of the war, but it all seemed to look the same to me. We had Vietnam vets in our neighborhood who would talk to my dad, or we would overhear their stories when they came back home, but still it seemed like a faraway story. The riots however seemed like they were in my world, up close. I actually thought they were going to take place in my neighborhood. Friends would talk about it, and we actually wondered if a riot would somehow take place in our little neighborhood world. Vietnam was far away, with people who would come home and tell stories, the riots were here, at home, and seemed like they might breakout in our town any minute. When we saw the riots on television news, we knew it was happening here in our country, it seemed like it was close to home. As a youngster it was hard to process what was going on, the way adults were talking about these things in front of us, what we were being exposed to on television, what friends, especially older friends were saying. Kids have huge imaginations; they often think in literal terms. They are not equipped to process things fully; they need to be nurtured in their understanding of the world around them.
These thoughts of my childhood remind me of the importance of caring for our family and children during these often confusing and troubling times. Like myself, and children of that tumultuous time, what came into our minds was not always processed clearly. There was little or no definition or explanation of what was going on. We heard ranting and raving, and we listened to people around us, but for someone to define or explain what was going on, was not my experience. I didn’t grow up in a Christian home so that might explain some things. The adults in my world were more in a rage over the war, the riots, the hippies, the 60’s and early to mid-70’s culture in general. The adults were overlooking the fact that little ears were hearing their discussions, seeing these images on television, and hearing about all sorts of things in and outside the home. Young people are like a sponge, they absorb a great deal more than we notice, and what we were absorbing without clarity, explanation, or definition, created confusion and often plenty of fear.
Here is my point. Let’s be proactive toward our family when it comes to the events that are continually happening around us. News today is much rawer and more open, copious, and overwhelming. Our families today are being showered with news events and bombarded by an often-skewed culture that drives and defines these events. Let’s stay in the Word so that we can develop a world view that ministers to our families and brings clarity to the world around them. Let’s start with our family by explaining what is going on with current events. Especially our teenagers who are also hearing things from their peers. Take time to examine what Scripture is saying about the world around you so you are prepared to minister to your family and others. First, think biblically, research the Bible yourself, examine what Scripture addresses about the world around you. Second, lay your study against what is going on around you and pray, pray for understanding. Third, think for yourself, it is ok to borrow from others, but I have intentionally chosen not to read from others until I have exhausted my own personal study. Exercising our own spirituality, gathering our own spiritual insights as the Holy Spirit reveals truth from His Word to us, is very important. In fact, it could be a major blessing that we have not experienced before, actually thinking through an event biblically ourselves. Being an important resource for our family to draw insight from because we are a student of the Bible, may be very unique in today’s world, especially because a large part of our society has a “link address” that thinks for them. Thinking biblically for ourselves certainly was not unique in N.T. times!
When you develop your own thoughts from studying God’s Word and share them with your family, you are building family relationships, as well as creating a core belief system. They live where you live, and they are likeminded because you worship and serve together. A family should have a uniqueness about them in what they believe, this is good and healthy. Things are much better when they are first home grown and then enhanced upon by other trusted people and resources. We should first develop our own unique family beliefs and grow as a family together in them. It is important to be careful about how much, and what we borrow from others, and it should always enhance our own family culture. Some are so used to running to this or that source, they miss cultivating the collective spiritual wisdom of God’s people in their family, and in their local church. It seems like our culture is changing rapidly and sometimes radically now adays, everyone wants to find a “link” to draw from and to share with others. This is a perfect time for all of us to share what God is teaching us through His Word in our in our homes, in and about our own local church membership. God’s people need each other, they need the collective wisdom, strength, and strong belief structure that each individual family brings together collectively within the local church. Together our families strengthen each other’s families. A link is fine, but a family or individuals in a family who has thought through current events biblically, is much richer and much more personal because they live among us. We are personally encouraged and heartened when one of our own speaks into our world and the world we live in. A link to an article may be encouraging, but thoughts from a brother or sister we personally know and share life with is so much more powerful. This is the personal encouragement that the writer of Hebrews is sharing with the church as they experienced very difficult and troubling times together.
Hebrews 10:23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near. …….32 But recall the former days when, after you were enlightened, you endured a hard struggle with sufferings, 33 sometimes being publicly exposed to reproach and affliction, and sometimes being partners with those so treated. 34 For you had compassion on those in prison, and you joyfully accepted the plundering of your property, since you knew that you yourselves had a better possession and an abiding one. 35 Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. 36 For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised. 37 For, “Yet a little while, and the coming one will come and will not delay; 38 but my righteous one shall live by faith, and if he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in him.” 39 But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls.
Here we see how the local church within its own borders is challenged to hold fast, to not waver, to remain faithful, so “stir up one another to love and good works”. The writer reminds them of how they did all these things and more in the past in verses 32-39. He is encouraging them toward endurance and strength within themselves, within the local body dynamic, within the strength of each individual and each family. Let’s explore some ideas on how we can do the same.
Practically encouraging other families. I encourage you and your family to share biblical thoughts, personal insights, and studies about the world around you. I encourage you to keep your hearts and minds focused on spiritual things. What are your thoughts and what has Scripture been teaching you about yourself and your family during these times? What about Scripture, how have you been applying truth in these times? What about current events, how are you communicating to your family about current events? How are you explaining this to your children to protect them from forming incomplete or misinformed conclusions? What are they hearing mom and dad say about current events? How are you entering their world and helping them to form biblical thoughts and conclusions? What are the leaders in your church and in our government saying about current events? We are not just picking up an article somewhere from someone who we don’t know; we are addressing the issue right where we live, with the people who we live with. This is a great time for our family to discuss how God intended the home, the church, and the government, to work in harmony, to clarify, to encourage, and to help us. This is also a good time to talk about how one of the aforementioned has not created harmony, clarity, encouragement, or help. Let’s make sure we are engaging the family in family discussions.
Practically loving one another and our neighbor: Mark 12:30 And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ 31 The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” Who is our neighbor? Jesus is speaking in general terms; any person you come in contact with is your neighbor, not just your next-door neighbor. In the sense that we have exposure to many different people in our lives, believers, and unbelievers alike, we want to love those people as we do ourselves. This is a great time to reach out to your neighbors they live in troubling times as well, it may afford a great opportunity to share Christ with them. People next door may be delightfully surprised by a wholesome conversation with them, people living in your neighborhood may be encouraged by your reaching out to them. People respond when they see genuine Christian concern, and it might send a message tangibly that Christianity is more than religion, it is about a relationship, a relationship with Jesus Christ. They in turn my come to a relationship with Christ by our loving efforts to just speak into their world during these often confusing and troubling times.
Our family can be used by the Lord to reach others who are confused about our times, who may not understand or have a biblical world view. We can be used of God to bring context, definition, and clarity to the world around us. People need this; and God’s people are the best equipped to communicate and define a proper world view, to help with clarity and understanding of the world around us. Let’s grow and change together during these days, let’s utilize one of the most significant untapped resources within our own lives, Christ working in us for His good pleasure! Philippians 2:12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.
This paper has not been professionally edited. I hope this paper encouraged and challenged you to stay in the Word, so that you are able to develop a proper world view, share it with your family, and with those you live and worship with. You are welcome to share this in its unedited format. Brad Hilgeman