But if you bite and devour one another, take care that you are not consumed by one another.
— Galatians 5:15 —
Melvin Zelaya: Evangelical Ministries of the Americas | Honduras
One seemingly calm afternoon in 1969, I was preparing to eat dinner when roaring jets suddenly came from the east and bombed our nearby airport. Immediately we lost power, and in an instant, everything changed. This attack set in motion many long-term, negative consequences that have been felt ever since in my country (and our neighboring country, as well). A land lawsuit and political issues ensued, as military clashes led to casualties, which disrupted many families within a matter of days. Sadly, many trained soldiers and defenseless civilians died. Fight every urge to bite or devour, which only leaves a mess of spiritual carnage in its wake. Since then, almost fifty years have passed during which I have observed similar episodes between other countries on almost every continent. Why do we do this to ourselves? Where does it come from? Fighting arises from the human heart and its selfish desires (James 4:1–2). Perhaps you have not been involved in a war, but on a smaller scale, we all are inclined to bite and devour one another, whether defending our opinions, fighting for our personal rights, taking advantage of others, or discriminating against those who are not like us. These sinful attitudes crop up every day in familiar settings, such as the work-place, home, and even church. But Scripture calls those of us who have been saved by grace to do the opposite. In the previous verses (Gal. 5:13–14), Paul explains that we haven’t been saved to harm one another; rather, we’ve been saved to love one another! So, fight every urge to bite or devour, which only leaves a mess of spiritual carnage in its wake. Instead, love your neighbor as yourself, thereby fulfilling the Law of Christ.
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