Cynicism

...the Ammonite commanders said to Hanun their lord, "Do you think David is honoring your father by sending envoys to you to express sympathy? Hasn't David sent them to you only to explore the city and spy it out and overthrow? (2 Sam 10:3)

Last week, my post on the above scripture generated reactions from some of my friends. They had expected a positive interpretation, and with David as the focal point. But I tweaked the narrative, emphasising the validity of the sentiment of the Ammonites over the sincerity of David's intention.

While the Ammonites may have sounded cynical, their sentiment was valid in view of their reality, which is equally subtantive to present-day reality. Our world is flawed. It's a dog-eat-dog world.

Betrayals come in very familiar and friendly packages. There's always a Brutus setting up a Ceasar, or a Judas giving away a Jesus with a kiss. Treachery is masked with goodwill. This is why cynicism is rife. There's no trust, not even hope in what's is true, good and beautiful. Humanity has become a tragedy.

However, like Robert Case said, "cynicism is sub-Christian and unbiblical." Cynicism is a product of our fallen nature, not the fruit of the Spirit. Our faith was founded on love; love inspired by value and volition for redeemed humanity. This love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

While we may need to live discerningly in a fallen world, we can't afford to carry on with sarcasm and pessimism, like the cynic Ammonites, who misinterpreted David's good intentions, and responded with treachery. It's a vicious circle. Treachery breeds cynicism, and cynicism breeds treachery.

We should respond with a different spirit, in a more excellent way. We keep hope alive. Hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us (Rom 5:5).