I read with interest an account in the Baltimore Evening Sun, November 14, 1986, of a lawsuit filed to ban opening prayers at the home football games of Douglas County (Georgia) High School. This change in a years-long tradition, the article reports, "set off a firestorm of reaction in Douglasville, a town dominated by conservative [Christians]."

No doubt most of us would share the concern and chagrin of our fellow believers in Douglasville at the increasing erosion of the civil liberties of Christians in this country. But what should be of equal concern to us is the way the citizens of Douglasville responded to Mr. Douglas Jager, the high school student who, along with his father, filed the lawsuit. The article reports that "Mr. Jager has been harassed at school and besieged by threatening phone calls at home." Tires on two of the family’s cars "were slashed as the automobiles sat in the family garage. One lady, who called her minister to complain about Jager’s lawsuit, was reported to have said, ‘I believe in prayer, but I think somebody ought to beat him up!’ " Such behavior and attitudes do not do credit to a town dominated by conservative Christians.

Let us consider how godly men of Scripture, and in particular the Lord Jesus Himself, might have responded to such an incident. Example A:When the Samaritans would not receive Christ, the disciples James and John wanted to call down fire from heaven to consume those wicked people. But listen to Jesus’ response:"The Son of Man is not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them" (Luke 9:52-56). Example B:When Peter cut off the servant’s ear with a sword, in an attempt to help the Lord escape from the multitude, Jesus remonstrated with him; "Put up thy sword into the sheath; the cup which My Father hath given Me, shall I not drink it?" (John 18:11). Example C:The apostle Paul wrote to the Christians in Rome:"Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good" (Rom. 12:21). Example D:Even in the Old Testament, when the king of Israel asked Elisha eagerly if he could kill the Syrian army that had been struck with blindness and led to Samaria, Elisha answered, "Thou shalt not smite them. … Set bread and water before them, that they may eat and drink, and go to their master" (2 Kings 6:13-23). Example E:When Jesus was cruelly and unjustly crucified, He prayed, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do" (Luke 23:34).

On the one hand, I believe the citizens of Douglasville would be quite justified in defending in court their rights and privileges under the United States Bill of Rights, just as the apostle Paul pleaded his rights as a Roman citizen (Acts 22:25; 25:11). But on the other hand, the Christian community in Douglasville seems to have missed out on a wonderful opportunity to manifest the essence of Christianity_the love and patience of Christ_to young Mr. Jager and his family.

The vengeance meted out upon the Jager family by the outraged Christians of Douglasville is by no means an isolated incident. Such expressions of hate by professed Christians are occurring with alarming frequency in this country. The several bombings of abortion clinics recently are notable examples. The sending of hate mail to Madelyn Murray O’Hair, the noted atheist, is another.

I fear that in these last days the Christians are going to encounter increasing discrimination against themselves and their beliefs, continued loss of the freedoms once enjoyed in this country, and growing wickedness and enmity against God in every quarter. As we seek in various ways to combat these worldly and Satanic influences, let us not resort to the world’s tactics; let us not forget to follow Christ’s example of love, patience, and forgiveness toward His enemies.

Many people in the world today are turning away from Christianity to various cults, to Islam and other religions, to atheism, and to Communism _ not so much because the message of Christianity is not relevant and persuasive, but because they see so much hypocrisy and inconsistency on the part of those who call themselves Christians, even fundamental, born again Christians. Let us each_ beginning with myself_ strive to do what we can to change this image that others have of Christianity and of Christ.

FRAGMENT "Be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath" (Jas. 1:19). Our trouble is that we are swift to speak and swift to wrath, but slow to think. According to James, however, the first thing to do is to ponder. Before expressing our reactions, we must discipline ourselves to think. It may seem superfluous to emphasize this, yet we all know that this is where we most often go wrong.