“Domino theory, also called domino effect, theory adopted in U.S. foreign policy after World War II according to which the “fall” of a noncommunist state to communism would precipitate the fall of noncommunist governments in neighboring states. The theory was first proposed by Pres. Harry S. Truman to justify sending military aid to Greece and Turkey in the 1940s, but it became popular in the 1950s when Pres. Dwight D. Eisenhower applied it to Southeast Asia, especially South Vietnam. The domino theory was one of the main arguments used in the Kennedy and Johnson administrations during the 1960s to justify increasing American military involvement in the Vietnam War.” (https://www.britannica.com/topic/domino-theory)
Many of us played Dominos as children. We lived through the strategy popularly called the “Domino Effect”. We now see commercials showing complicated patterns of dominos set up so that when the first domino falls a whole string of events or patterns unfold. In Romans 5:3-5 Paul posits that there is a spiritual domino effect that is as true as our geopolitical theory. Paul places his dominos like this: suffering develops perseverance that produces character that produces hope because God’s love is working through the Holy Spirit in the domino events of our life.
“knowing that suffering produces endurance,
4 and endurance produces character,
and character produces hope,
5 and hope does not disappoint us,
because God’s love has been poured into our hearts
through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.”
We believe that just as surely as the geopolitical outcome of the future of democracy is tied up in the world’s response to Ukraine/Russia conflict, our response to suffering will impact our future. Christians believe that the sufferings we find ourselves in challenge us to forgive, to pray, to share resources, and to live in faithful obedience to kingdom values that will impact the future of our world. No one wants suffering for themselves, for loved ones or hopefully not even for strangers. When suffering comes, though, how we respond starts a domino effect that impacts our ability to persevere, that shows in our character and helps us become people of hope.
It is so easy for me to sit and feel sorry for myself about the unfairness of life. Sitting during reflective times and looking for God’s hand in the event helps me not sink into victim thinking and helps me regain advocacy in my life and attitude. Take just one difficult situation you are in right now and ponder how hope could be the end product as God helps you weather the storm. Blessings. You are not alone.
On the Way to Wonder 