On a
recent trip, the flight attendant asked if I flew very often. When I said I
did, he asked, “Have you noticed people on planes becoming increasingly more
belligerent and aggressive in recent months?” I had to confess that I agreed
with him. We began talking about what might be contributing to it—things like
increased airport security, higher costs, fewer services, and a general
dissatisfaction with travel. As if to prove the point, our conversation was
interrupted by a passenger who refused to sit in his assigned seat because he
liked someone else’s seat assignment better!
When we
encounter anger and belligerence, the follower of Christ can be a peacemaker.
Paul wrote to the church at Rome with this challenge, “If it is possible, as
much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men” (Rom. 12:18). What
does that mean? For one thing, it means that we must control what we can
control. We can’t control the attitudes of others, but we can control our
response.
When we see angry or hostile attitudes displayed around us, we can show the heart of the Prince of Peace by responding graciously in a peaceful manner. In this way we will demonstrate the attitude of our Savior in a world filled with a growing belligerence.
