Well, I see that someone has looted and sacked the American
Embassy in Libya and killed at least three people, including our
ambassador. And I imagine there will be
all kinds of spiteful and even hateful comments from some of our number
regarding the supposed impotence of the current administration…there always is.
I want you to know now that I do not take lightly the taking
of a life, however it may happen. The
attack was abhorrent and totally unnecessary and evil.
Having said that, I also want to say that these things
happen. In my lifetime, I am guessing
that an American Embassy has been attacked and on the news probably 10
times. Other nations have had their
embassies attacked as well. It’s not a
common event, but it’s also not unheard-of.
And it happens regardless of which political party is in office. See the following website for information on
attacks on Americans and American embassies.
http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0001454.html
I am just as concerned about things like the woman who
pottied her twin girls in public in a restaurant at a table while they were
eating. http://lasvegas.cbslocal.com/2012/09/05/utah-mother-caught-potty-training-daughters-at-restaurant-dining-table/ Or the man and woman who pulled into a rest
area, got out of their vehicle, and bathroomed right there in the parking area
when the restroom was just a few feet away (according to my cousin, an
eyewitness).
Incidents like these (and they aren’t all “potty” incidents)
tell me that some among us have less than an adequate understanding of how to
take care of even the basic needs of humans.
If we can’t appropriately relieve ourselves, can we really expect that
we will be able to feed ourselves, house ourselves, care for our health, and
raise families within the norms of society?
We live in a broken and sinful world. We know that.
We know that things happen that are sick, abhorrent, and evil. And the continuous news cycle of the Internet
and cable TV brings home more of this kind of stuff than we really want to know
and certainly much more than we used to be aware of. Yet my guess is that things aren’t all that
different from years ago…we just hear about it more often.
The wise man of the Old Testament, Solomon, said that there
is nothing new under the sun. He’s
right, of course. Those things we abhor
today are the same things that have been going on (and have been abhorred by
decent people) for centuries and eons. People will always amaze us with their lack of
social graces, uncouth behavior, and sinful lifestyles. So what are we as Christians to do?
We could wring our hands and worry ourselves to death. Or we could write vitriolic posts on Facebook
and talk about how bad the current administration (whatever the political
stripe is) is handling things. We could
call down fire and brimstone (so to speak) on those infidels who have done
these things to us (eye for an eye). We
could talk about those who are uncouth and sinful as moronic, imbecilic, and
evil. Or we could do what Jesus said and
love our enemies, do good to those who spitefully use us, love our neighbor, go
the second mile, turn the other cheek, pray for those who are against us, offer
a cup of cold water in His name, and go into all the world and preach the
gospel.
What do you think we should do?
No comments:
Post a Comment