What Makes Us Evil?

From the very beginning of the world there was evil.

And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.  And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart. Genesis 6 : 5 - 6.

That, to me, is one of the saddest verses in the Bible. To think that God, after making man in His own image and likeness should repent that He had made man. We had become so evil that even our Maker was grieved at our depravity. Can you imagine what He must be saying today? 

In every part of the world men take the time to carefully plot and carry out evil deeds. Here in the US it seems that evil is visiting us more and more frequently. Psychologists and researchers have found that the brain of psychopaths is different from the rest of the population. That there is a deformity in a part of the brain called the amygdala, which is the seat of emotion. Psychopaths lack emotion. Their actions are cold and calculated and they show little or no remorse for the things they do. 

So where does that leave us? Should we just sit back and say oh, well, these people can't help their actions? Or, is the evil person doomed to stay that way?  Psalm 34 : 14 says, "Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it." If God's word commands us to depart from evil, then it can be done. People who have committed themselves to carrying out evil deeds can have their lives turned around by the grace of God. 

Even researchers agree that children born with a damaged amygdala do not have to grow up to become psychopaths. Criminologist Nathalie Fontaine of Indiana University states,  "We can still help them. We can implement intervention to support and help children and their families, and we should." Another psychologist said, "Biology is not destiny." She said that children do not have to have brain surgery, they can be helped through "social" intervention.

The church is a part of society, isn't it? We can reach out to our youth who may be at risk and pray for them; we can speak to parents and teachers and use the power of the Holy Spirit to help these families.

Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted . Galatians 6 : 1. 

Ye which are spiritual, that means us, Christians. We are to do our best to restore or help to bring about change in those people. Can we? Will we?  

What Frustrates You?

This is the second post in the series dealing with anger. Anger, as we have seen before is a normal, healthy reaction. Even Jesus became angry, (See John 2 : 15), but the way we express that anger is what really matters. In our normal, everyday life we come across people and situations which, if we are not careful, will frustrate us and lead to anger. Psychologists say that people who have a low frustration tolerance are more likely to have difficulty dealing with their anger.

So, how can you handle frustration in a godly manner?

The first way, of course, would be to pray about it. "Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God" (Philippians 4 : 6). Turn that frustrating situation over to God. It may be something at home, at work, or even at church. Whatever it is, God can teach you how to handle it.

The second thing you can do is look for alternatives. Let's say you are frustrated by your daily commute to and from work. I know a lot of people are. What can you do about it? Can you take a different route? Leave home earlier, or later? Use public transport or car pool?

In some situations, you may have to practice being assertive. If it is a relationship problem, you may have to learn to assert your feelings. This means not allowing yourself to be a doormat, but instead communicating your needs- or frustrations- to the other person without becoming angry. "But speaking the truth in love ..."(Ephesians 4 : 15).

Another thing that may help is regular exercise. This releases endorphins in the brain, which help you feel good and combat the stress and frustration. Just half an hour of walking daily can clear your mind and help you deal with your frustration in a constructive way.

If all of these don't work, you may need to seek counseling. Your frustration and anger may stem from a chemical imbalance in the brain. You may need medication and counseling to help you restructure the way you perceive situations.