Chaos

n.chaos-a state of utter confusion or disorder; a total lack of organization or order

Chaos is a word that seems to be the most descriptive of our present time. It just seems to fit everywhere. The news — chaos. The election — chaos. Work — chaos. Family life — chaos. Finances — chaos. Everywhere I look there it seems to be. Everywhere. My vision has become blurred by visuals of violence. My hearing is deafened by the desperate cries of, “Peace, peace, where is the peace?” My voice is found faint among the sounds of hurt. The rhythm of my heart has become disrupted by the constant blows that life has thrown. Not at me. For if it were only me backed into the corner then I could withstand the barrage of blows. If it was just me being tossed down onto the mat of defeat then I could weather the weight of my brokenness for I have learned to rise time and time again. I can stand up for the broken but I cannot make them to stand. I can stand up for the misunderstood but I cannot make them to stand. I can stand up for the fearful but I cannot make them to stand.

So what can I do? What can you do?

An archaic definition of chaos is that of an abyss. That’s what it is. It is dark. It is deep. It makes us feel helpless, afraid and alone. How do I get someone who has fallen into the chaotic abyss of fear out? Fear is divisive in its nature. Often most of the things we see on the news are driven by fear and the fearmongers that seek to benefit somehow. I believe that we need to understand the strategy of this ever-dividing force. First, it tries to create a frame. It seeks to manipulate how we see others, how we see ourselves and what we believe others see us to be. It then gets us to exaggerate. Now that the frame has been set we must interpret every action, every look, every oversight through this colored lens. We can no longer assume the best intentions. Everything is now an affront and a personal attack. Now that we can only see a certain way and only hear a certain way fear want us to feel alone. No one is trying to help. No one is trying understand. No one cares — now we retaliate.

There are so many ways that this plays out in everyday life. But at the moment we are seeing it occur before our eyes on a larger scale. The chaos we see is a result of a deeply ingrained fear that cannot be put into words because many don’t even know that is there until it is too late. Although it makes many uncomfortable I have only found one answer to the chaos and fear. I present to you the cross. “But I know hypocrites. I know ‘Christians’ who are worse than I am.” I cannot speak those who call themselves one thing but live a life that is separate. I can only speak from personal experience. I have found that, “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear.” Love is more than just a warm feeling that leaves the one who feels it in some sort of a daze. Love requires action. This love led Jesus Christ to the cross to pay the price of death so that we don’t have to. There He defeated fear and chaos so that it didn’t have to overwhelm us. Most people just don’t know it. He died for everyone. Every rioter, every protester, every cop and every criminal. Everyone. It’s time to let people know that the battles they’re fighting were won 2,000 years ago.