Our Sermon Section
By Frank and Mary Hoffman - 23 Jul 2012
In Reference to: 22 July 2012 - From Mourning to Positive Action
Dear Daisy and Others:
You have analyzed the problem correctly.
Your ‘what if” question is exactly what we are trying to encourage. We achieve little because most of us fail to do anything publicly, and politely and peacefully, and openly express what we really feel in our hearts and souls. We feel comfortable chatting back and forth on lists like this and on social media with like-minded people, because it makes us feel better to release the heartache we feel to those who understand, or we quietly hand out flyers without commentary, because it’s non-confrontational. Peer pressure is very powerful, and most people are afraid to rock the boat, for fear of being excluded.
Personally, I’d rather be thrown out of a few churches for rocking their cruelty and suffering filled boats. People rarely change unless their emotions are shocked.
Do you remember the Bible passage that tells us that perfect love casts out fear? (1 John 4:18) What this is really telling us is that the opposite of love is fear. So, if we fear, love is not perfected in us, or to apply it to this situation, our fear of those who are indifferent to the suffering of animals is much stronger than our love for the suffering animals. This may be a hard pill to swallow, but we hope and pray it will open our hearts and souls enough to start speaking out and telling the truth to the people who cause and encourage the suffering and exploitation of animals.
We all have the ability to do this, because as believers we have the power of the Holy Spirit and God’s perfect love working through us. All we have to do is be willing to do it.
In the Love of the Lord,
Frank and Mary