The Power of Love & Kindness: Choose Compassion Over Conflict
By Patricia Simpson, EEW Magazine Editor
I read a wonderful piece on CNN’s religion blog written by Dr. Tony Evans, pastor of Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship, and one of the most respected evangelical leaders in America. He opened up about how he grew up watching his parents’ dysfunctional marriage and living in complete “chaos.”
He said his folks were young when they married and were “still trying to figure out how to make life work,” often arguing about things like finances, which were scarce at home. Evans, the oldest of four children, confesses that his household was a “volatile” place, with his mom and dad constantly clashing, “making divorce seem like the only possible outcome.”
So what made the difference?
According to Evans, when he turned 10, his father gave his heart to Jesus Christ, something that forever changed his dad’s character.
“He didn’t just accept God’s salvation; he immediately became fired up about God and the Bible,” recounts Evans, noting that a genuine transformation had taken place in his father’s life. Suddenly, the man that had spent his time fussing and fighting with his wife grew passionate about the things of God. He started witnessing on the street and visiting the local prison.
This might seem like the sort of change that would make his wife happy, but that wasn’t the case. “My mom didn’t like my dad as a sinner, and she liked him even less as a saint,” wrote Dr. Evans. “She did everything she could to make his life difficult. But my father did everything he could to show her love.”
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