“Each generation tends to see war.” Such is the counsel my father gave me as we, inevitably, discussed Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022. For our generation, entering adulthood and coming of age has been a tumultuous era, to say the least. As a student of the political sciences, and as a Christian, I can honestly say: it’s probably not going to get better. Nevertheless, we need to remember two things: Jesus reigns supreme and sovereign, and He calls us to a pursuit of truth in all things.
Let’s be honest with ourselves. Political turmoil is nothing new, and we’ve seen what feels like more than our fair share of controversies in the last few decades alone. Corrupt politicians worldwide, wars and nebulous “military actions” in far-off nations, and severe social polarization here at home have given many of us cause for despair; how can we possibly continue to be faithful to Christ in such a fraught environment?
The answer is to remain faithful. This might sound like a non-answer to many of us, but think about it: we have specific, God-given commands for how to live our lives. Now, we may argue over vague points such as how to hold baptisms or whether we should have wine or grape juice in the Lord’s Supper, but we cannot let that get in the way of the very concrete things God requires of us: to maintain justice in society, to love and promote kindness throughout humanity, and to remain humble before our Lord God (see Micah 6:8). Jehovah remains supreme; He has not ever wavered in His faithfulness to us, and He sure isn’t going to start now. Our Spirit-led, faithful obedience to God depends, in no small part, on His faithful upholding of all of His promises to us. Jehovah has promised peace and justice for His people. In His providence, that peace and justice come in this life, and for others, they wait for holy glorification in the New Jerusalem. How do we know? God tells us in Scripture (Isaiah 54 expresses this beautifully) and continues to remind us through prayer, in which we praise God for His marvelous works, and He reminds us of His holy covenant, made specifically to His children, us.
And so, brothers and sisters, pray. Pray for those of us Christians in Ukraine, Russia, and elsewhere who face perilous situations right now. Pray that their faith remains strong as the temptation to despair looms dark over that part of the world. Pray for their physical and mental safety: battle and war do truly awful things to a person’s mind and body, but God can and does protect us from the fiercest attacks and heals the deepest wounds, visible and invisible. He always has, and He always will.
In light of God’s faithful, continued rule over Creation and humanity, we have a clear calling in this discord in which we find ourselves: to love our neighbor, no matter how far away he may be, by seeking justice and speaking truth. It’s true, most of us have little we can effectively do to alleviate the suffering in Ukraine or Russia. However, ours is an age in which information is easily shared. While this is a great blessing, our responsibility to maintain the truth in this flood of information has become all the greater. The next few days, weeks, and months are sure to produce lots of misinformation. Many news sources will attempt to manipulate our view of coming crises in one direction or another. So please, brothers and sisters, be careful what news you share and repost. Double-check and cross-reference your sources. Keep a critical eye on even the most trusted sources. In our age of the easy consumption of information, the uncomfortable reality is that we have just as much of a responsibility to parse the truth as the greatest journalist or editor. The world may seem like it’s falling apart, but it will only worsen if we aid the spread of lies and misinformation.