If you follow world politics, you know about the fall of the Assad regime in Syria. Growing up in Lebanon, I was among the millions who lived under the terror of the Assad regime’s bombs for over a decade. First, it was led by the father, Hafez, and then his son, Bashar. Now, they are gone. Some supported them, though most did not. What kind of a twisted mind must a person have to support this level of evil? Humans can have twisted minds though, and none of us are fully immune.
I just finished a masters level class at the seminary called “Globalization and Mission Strategy.” Dr. Copeland, the professor, taught and invited speakers to discuss how Christians should share their faith worldwide. One speaker, a Christian psychologist, talked about some challenges between missionaries. She posed, “What do you do if two missionaries on the field disagree and both come to you backing up their points of view with scriptures from the Bible? How do you think it through? What is needed?” I answered, “Humility.” She had fancy and helpful psychological terms like “motivated reasoning” (which says humans are motivated to find logical arguments to support their beliefs) and “moral attribution” (which says we often assign to those we disagree with the notion that they are morally lacking if we cannot otherwise explain their position). Then she said, “Whoever said ‘humility,’ you are correct.”
Humility is what is lacking and what is needed—and amply. Global application of it is crucial.
And so, with the new regime in Syria, everyone is cautiously hopeful. I am not. Why? Because we have not learned how to practice political humility. At some point, a group of people will want to attack others because they think they are morally superior, and thus more righteous and correct, and there goes another war.
Can you give all the moral arguments and explanations that those who oppose your view give? It’s almost impossible, but that is what is needed to avoid contempt (looking down on someone else). For this to happen, we need leaders.
As Christ-followers, we must follow the example of our savior. Humility means that we listen to others. Humility does not mean that we accept all that others offer, particularly if it is in direct conflict with God’s laws. We need to model political humility, and it must start at our own dinner table.
