Readings for today: 1 Samuel 2:22-4:22, John 5:24-47, Psalms 106:1-12, Proverbs 14:30-31
It’s been a very long day. Filled with lots of conversations, text messages, and emails regarding the latest school shooting in our area. Parents. Teenagers. Families. All reaching out. All needing comfort. All needing hope. And I have to admit, I don’t have much to offer. I am tired. Tired of the shootings. Tired of domestic terrorism. Tired of the senselessness of it all. Our culture has made a pact with death and we are reaping the whirlwind. Our obsession with violence too often ending in self-destruction. When will the cycle end?
We have to come to grips with reality. The violence we are experiencing is a symptom of a deeper disease. One that has taken root in every human heart. We are sinful. We are selfish. We are narcissistic. Driven by our basest desires, we no longer seem able to moderate our reactions. Instead we give them full rein. We vent. We emote. We perpetuate hate. Social media throws gasoline on this dumpster fire exacerbating our worst tendencies. Disconnected from authentic relationships. Lonely and isolated. We feel we have no outlet other than unbridled rage. “If we’re going down, we’re going to take as many with us as possible.” Some of us do it with words. Others with guns. Either way, the root of the problem remains the same. A heart tormented by pain and suffering. Wracked by shame and guilt. Numb to the humanity of others.
What happens when we use the very freedoms that make our nation great to indulge the very worst parts of our sinful nature? Freedom of speech used to defend the spread of hate, misinformation, and fake news. Freedom of expression used to defend the graphic depiction of violence in video games, television, and movies. Freedom of assembly used to defend the lunatic fringe. All the while, media outlets make millions fanning the flames of our national discontent. Can we really be surprised when angry, abused, bullied, and neglected adolescents/adults become emotionally unhinged, get their hands on easily obtainable firearms, and shoot up a school? I know, I know. “Guns don’t kill people...people kill people.” However, this seems dangerously naive sentiment in a culture where mental health issues continue to rise at an extraordinary rate and we consistently demonstrate an inability to mature or show any kind of capacity for emotional restraint.
It’s time for a reality check. A national conversation around not just human rights but human responsibilities. A national commitment to the ethics of Jesus which involves self-denial for the sake of others, sacrifice for the greater good, and a dedication to the golden rule. Though all may not accept Christ’s divinity or believe in His name unto salvation; surely we can all agree practicing the way of Jesus would lead to a more just and gracious society? And we don’t need a theocracy to achieve it. Simply a willingness to be held to a higher standard personally, professionally, and politically.
Sadly, our situation is not new. It is as old as Cain and Abel. There is a violent streak that runs through the heart of every human society which is why God sent His one and only Son. He sent Jesus to give us hope. He sent Jesus to give us peace. He sent Jesus to bring heaven to earth. Even in the midst of the violence and corruption of Eli’s time, we read these prophetic words about the coming of the Messiah, “And I will raise up for myself a faithful priest, who shall do according to what is in my heart and in my mind. And I will build him a sure house, and he shall go in and out before my anointed forever.” (1 Samuel 2:35) Maranatha! Come Lord Jesus!
Readings for tomorrow: 1 Samuel 5-7, John 6:1-21, Psalms 106:13-31, Proverbs 14:32-33