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The Citizen, 1987-08-19, Page 16PAGE 16. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 19, 1987. From the Minister's Study \Ne need a revolution in human nature REV. DOUGLAS ZEHR, PASTOR BRUSSELS MENNONITE FELLOWSHIP In Judith Viorst’s children’s book “I’ll Fix Anthony’’, the younger brother complains about the way his older brother Anthony treats him. “My brother Anthony can reach books now, but he won't read any books to me. He plays checkers with Bruce from his school. But when Iwanttoplay with him he says. ‘GoawavorI'llclobberyou’. I let him wear my Snoopy sweat­ shirt. but he never lets me borrow his sword. “Mother says deep down in his heart Anthony loves me. Anthony says deep down in his heart he thinks 1 stink. Mother says deep, deep down in his heart, where he doesn't even know it, Anthony loves me. Anthony says deep, deep down inhishearthestillthinksl stink. When I'm six 1'11 fix Anthony. “When I'm six I'll float, but Anthony willsinktothe bottom. I'll dive off the board, but Anthony will change his mind. 1'11 breathe in and out when I should, but Anthony will go glug, glug ••• When I’m six my teeth will fall out, and I’ll put them under my pillow, and the tooth fairy will take them away and leave dimes. Anthony’s teeth won’t fall out. He’ll wiggle and wiggle them, but they won’t fall out. I might sell himoneof my teeth, but I might “Anthony is chasing me out of the play room. He says I stink. He says he is going to clobber me. I have torun now, but 1 won't have to run when I’m six. When I’m six I’ll fix Anthony." Most of us can relate to the feelings of Anthony's brother. It has been referred to as revenge or vengeance. It is that all to familiar deep down desire to get even. Most of us with a human nature areoftentemptedtowanttoget even with someone. We want to be one up on everyone else. When we have been tripped up, picked on. cheated or had our toes stepped on we have the urge to poke someone in the nose. Most families experi­ ence this kind of pain. And it is a parallel of what happens at many other levels and leads one group of people to fight another, whether it is a family feud, a civil war or an international conflict. It is the most evident reality that points to thefact that we need to have a revolution in our human nature. Something inside of us needs to change so that we can change our response in those moments when we normally would respond with an act of revenge. “It is only natural,” we say. Anyone would act or react that way. And that’s why we need a supernatural change. Our very being needs to be transformed so that we can absorb hostility and Now that's dedication The Citizen’s award for dedica­ tion this week must go to Doug Zehr. pastor of Brussels Menno- nite Fellowship. TheZehrswereonvacationin northern Ontario but this was Pastor Zehr’s week to contribute to The Minister’s Study column. He shipped offa copy of the column from Bancroft by courier in plenty of time to reach the Citizen office before deadline. reach out in love. We need to respond toa power greater than ourselves and a power beyond ourselves. One individual put it like this, “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbour and hate your enemy. But I tell you - Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven”. To deal with the spirit of vengeance that possesses so many of us we need tosurrenderouselves to a power beyond ourselves. The Blyth Christian Reformed Church HIGHWAY 4, BLYTH WorshipServiceat 10a.m. led by Martin Wilts and at 8p.m. by John DeVries SundaySchool 11:00a.m. The Church of the*'Back to God Hour” and “Faith 20’’ Back to God Hour 10:30a.m. CKNX, Sunday Faith 20 5:00a.m. weekdays, Global T.V. ALL VISITORS WELCOME power of God is able to change us from the inside out. We need to drink deep of the fountain of living water which comes from God. Jesus did not tell his followers to love their enemies because love would or would not work. Love doesn ’ t always mean that everyone lives happily ever after. Some­ times it is very costly. But the nature of one transformed by God ’ s love is not determined by the action of the enemy, but rather by one’s relationship to God the Father. Whatisthe condition of your relationship?