From a Holocaust survivor comes the psychology involved in choosing evil–it happens when humans give themselves permission to do so by an authority that persuaded them it was okay to do so. A greater Authority exists to Whom we should yield to fulfill all righteousness.

Proverbs 29:18

“Where there is no vision, the people cast off restraint; but best is he who keeps the law.”

Looking at this verse, my assumption is that the concept of vision is in keeping the Law. Or, at least, having no vision is equal to lawlessness. We as human beings have what’s called a “free will.” We can choose restraint or we can choose lawlessness. As far as each of us is concerned, there are two things over which we have control—our beliefs and our behavior. I have also heard it said, our “attitudes and actions.” To quote the famous pirate, Captain Jack Sparrow, he says, “Our problem is not the problem. The problem is our attitude about the problem.” Teaching fifth graders has its challenges AND opportunities. Many of them have the attitude that they can’t do something when they haven’t tried to see if their assumption is correct. Or, some have tried another task similar and failed, so going forward with the task will only prove to mean disappointment, failure, and a destructive blow to their self-esteem.

I chose this topic today in response to a story I had followed about a Holocaust survivor and her opinion on how regular/normal people can be brought to killing wihtout conscience. The summary of what the older lady said was that man can be reduced to an animal when he is given pemission to do so by a majority of other, or by authority. Choosing evil is bowing to a choice of authority in either case. The motivation to the kinds of riotouss behavior we’ve seen in the news lately results from listening conforming to a group identity outside of themselves. You wouldn’t think educated young people with a bright future ahead of them would risk it all, but they do. There is no thought of who they hurt. It is like that with any sin. But sin has a precursor. Scripture tells us that preceding our choice to sin is the temptation TO sin. James 1:4 says, “but each man is tempted, when he is drawn away by his own lust, and enticed.” Don’t get me wrong by thinking the Devil made me do it, or the government brought me to it. We surrend our authority to the influence of another and that is a choice. We sell ourselves into the salvery of sin and only Jesus can redeem us out of that condition.

As Bob Dylan sang, “You gotta serve somebody.” If you’re not a slave of Christ, then you’re a slave of the devil and sin. Christ is a loving, caring Master, who never abuses His slaves. Giving authority to His usefulness is surrendering to the ultimate care in love for us. The devil is a conniving, self-serving tyrant, who has no concern for his slaves. It is far better to be Christ’s slave than to be enslaved to Satan and to sin. Look at all the parables having to do with servants and slaves. It’s all about what we do with what the Master asks. Failure is a result of selfish ambition.

You’d be surprised at the things we can do when we give ourselves permission to do it, both good AND bad. It is sobering to look back in history and survey the evidence of the catastrophic loss that occurred simply by persons or governments choosing to conduct themselves without restraint. In fact, this Thursday we will remember the 157,000 allied troops that landed on the beaches of Northern France to repel a leader who chose to terminate millions of lives with extreme prejudice. Sadly, we are just as capable of this kind of evil today if we are convinced it’s right. In the face of choices, where does our conviction lie?

You may have joked around, as I have, about the advice that gets handed to people, “Don’t volunteer to do anything.” Let me tell you something, my greatest spiritual growth has occorred when I replied, “Yes, I’d be happy to help with that” when challenged to help. Say, “YES!” more often and see how God can equip.

Sometimes we limit God when we refuse an opportunity to exercise our talents and expand our faith. How else can we learn trust and confidence in God unless we put our faith to practice and God’s Word to use? But we like to keep some authority to ourselves don’t we? There may be even times when we give ourselves permission to put away love and compassion when an opportunity to show both is before us. When compassion and love are lost, it’s then that our heart is betrayed and impulses are likely to turn into hurtful acts against another. The difference between humans is animals is very apparent. Animals attack when they are scared, or if you are their prey. Human beings hurt when their compassion ends and they give themselves permission to do it and that is evil in the greatest sense of the word.

We must not lose the vision of our created purpose—to love and have fellowship with God and love one another. That is possible only through Jesus Christ. We are called to be Christ-like. Give yourself permission to love and show compassion. Follow the laws of hospitality. Bear the fruit of the Spirit. Grow in love. Do not let others, or yourself, give you permission to hate, insult, or destroy. Do not surrender authority of your emotions to another. Christian, do not give real estate in your heart to anyone but the Holy Spirit—it is His temple in which to dwell.

Flee immorality. Every other sin that a man commits is outside the body, but the immoral man sins against his own body. Or do you not know that your body is atemple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body. (1 Corinthians 6:18-20)

Let your vision be pure and just and righteous. Not losing our vision will prompt us to continue growing in hope and knowledge so that we do not forget the authority of the Word of God. Scripture is full of evidence that condemns those who forsook the Word of God. In Hosea 4:6 God condemns His priests by saying, “My people are destroyed for a lack of knowledge.” The verse continues to say how they also forgot about the law of God. Here again we see the complement of the Word of God and vision. The more of God’s Word we know, the less tempted we will be by the worlds enticements.

1 Peter 2:9 says that we are a “Royal Priesthood.” We are charged with proclaiming the excellencies of God. Let us grow in the knowledge and wisdom of God. We already know where the world’s wisdom leads and where the destiny of the wicked ends. We have the encouragement of the faithful who came before us. We can read Hebrews 11 and find it. Reading Hebrews 12 is the imperative.

Let me close with Romans 12:2, “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.”