A fox, badger, peacock, swan, squirrel, cat, and a seagull.
In Common?
Yes, according to news reports those animal have all been reported as:
“Animals that have gone bad”
In fact, there is a series called, “When Animals Go Bad.” I can feel the pain. There aren’t many things worse than a snarky squirrel, a raunchy raccoon, or a cranky cat.
Others?
Sure, how about when people go bad? History is replete with dastardly dictators and noisy neighbors. What about pesky pastors? They are the worst aren’t they? There should be a TV show called, “When Pastors Go Bad.” Here’s another:
“When Pharaohs Go Bad”
Pharaohs?
Sure, like the Pharaoh of Egypt who clamped down on the descendants of Jospeh and his brothers. As the Hebrews multiplied the god of Egypt decided to fear them. His worry was that the Hebrews would form an alliance with Egypt’s enemies.
What happened? Pharaoh orchestrated slavery to control them. Slavery was framed by brutality, abuse, and ruthless and bitter treatment. All of which was birthed in fear.
Fear
Fear will cause us to:
- withdraw and separate from people
- cower in the corners of our lives
- attack others because we despise them
- subjugate, diminish, or enslave them
Pharaoh feared the Hebrews due to their massive numbers. It wasn’t like they had a fortified army or weapons of mass destruction. They were sheep herders and farmers. At some point, prejudice and racism become foundational to hatred and discrimination.
Pharaoh did it and so did the Nazis. As did a bible class teacher who didn’t like having a Vietnamese child in her class, and the kids who beat me up because I was new.
To Close
We fear what threatens us. I guess its a normal response. But what did Jesus do? Did he attack those who feared him? How did he treat those who were different? Did he castigate and cast them out? Can you imagine this show on TV?
“When The Messiah Goes Bad”
Rick Fyffe 