As we have watched the horrors being enacted on the people of Ukraine, we can’t help but wonder, “Have we learned nothing from history?” The packaging may be different, but we face the same temptations as people a hundred years or two thousand years ago did. And they faced the same temptations as those who came before them. Whether it is lust, greed, a thirst for power and prestige, callousness towards the suffering and needs of others, slandering, judging, being untruthful or untrustworthy or self-centered…the list goes on and on. These are temptations that are universal and timeless. Paul’s advice to a church in turmoil is to learn from the lessons of the past.
Can you think of moments in history where the failure to resist temptations like these led to catastrophic results? Were these failures of just one person or of a collective group? While it’s easy to pin the sin on one person, what else might have led to the situation we are watching unfold? Do we have any culpability – personally or collectively? What lessons are there to be learned today that we might pass to future generations?
Today, if you are struggling with how to pray about what is happening in Ukraine, this article may be helpful.