Change Begins With You
Do not be overcome by evil, but
overcome evil with good. – Romans 12:21
Another day. Another shooting. Five killed. More
wounded. Still others forever traumatized by the evil that turned a normal day
into a terror-filled nightmare.
Perhaps what is so disturbing – beyond the obvious –
is that everyone saw it coming and yet no one could legally stop it. The same
laws designed to protect the innocent also protect those who haven’t yet
crossed the line but someday will.
Evil lives in the hearts of some. Yes, there is mental
illness involved. But never mistake depression and such for evil intent. Some
hearts seek to control, to terrorize, to kill and destroy all those they
believe have “harmed” them. Some simply want to make a statement, to be noticed
and remembered for something horrible.
What has caused the increase in mass shootings? What
do we do to stop it? And how do we live without becoming hard and uncaring?
Where is hope in the middle of it all? In Jesus. We
complain about people taking Him out of the government and the schools and
other public places. It’s all true. But the main area from which we’ve removed
Him? Our homes and our daily lives.
It’s so easy to point fingers. Let’s blame the mental
health professionals. Let’s blame law enforcement. Let’s condemn Congress for
not passing adequate laws. But the simple and sad truth is that the blame begins
with us.
It seems that so few people really live the faith they
claim. We aren’t teaching our children right from wrong because, well, we’ve
blurred the line so well that we really don’t know anymore. Children learn from
watching the adults around them. What are they seeing?
Do they see adults who lend a hand – even when they
won’t get anything in return? Do they see adults giving generously – with no
thought of reward on this earth? Do they see adults reading their Bibles and
praying beyond the “standard” prayers – with no thought to impressing others?
Do they see adults viewing church as a privilege and honor to worship God – or as
a box that must be checked when it fits into their schedule?
Then let’s look at the mental health issues we all
face. The stigma remains. We aren’t treating those who are in desperate need.
There aren’t enough treatment facilities for our youth. There isn’t enough
insurance coverage to handle issues before they reach the violent stage.
And there aren’t enough laws to allow law enforcement
and medical professionals to deal with people they know are mentally ill. It’s
a fine line. I understand that. It’s an imperfect balance of rights and common
sense. When law enforcement sees someone who is an obvious threat to someone
else, they shouldn’t have to wait for the inevitable violence to do something.
Yet that’s almost always the case.
There are no easy answers. It’s not a
one-size-fits-all scenario. But the solution starts with us. Be kind to people.
Be generous. Get out of your clique and see those in the margins. Live like
Jesus. Get uncomfortable. And stop pointing fingers. You’re just spreading the
hate you claim to despise. We’re all broken. Humble yourself and recognize that
we are all in desperate need of a Savior. Share His love with everyone. That’s
where real change begins.
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