Is Violence Senseless?
Once again I’ve been jolted back to reality by the horrific news coming out of Colorado. What started out for many as a simple night at the movies with friends, family or sweethearts turned into a nightmare when evil came out of the shadows and reminded us that we are not as invincible as we thought and that there is something seriously wrong with the world.
Most of the time I just float along, numb to the seeds of violence that seem to happen in other places, to other people, for a variety of reasons.
None of it makes much sense to me. And that’s just the point – It shouldn’t!
I somehow expect the world to make sense, for people to treat one another with a bit of kindness, compassion and grace. We’re all appalled by the violence in Aurora when someone with power exercises that power without any apparent empathy, concern or remorse. I expect things to be different, not just by preventing bullets in theaters, but also the the classrooms, boardrooms and government agencies where the seeds of violence are sown. I expect these institutions to live with empathy and to protect those who often are exploited as cheap labor and for the unfair distribution of wealth, opportunities and hope.
We were all shocked at the body count in Aurora, but we’ve grown indifferent, even comfortable, with the number of bodies in poverty in our own communities.
What can we do, small as we are?
Stand Up - for the values, principles and ideal of a compassionate community. When people become drunk with power, wealth and pride, you become a bully and we all experience the barrage of verbal, and sometimes literal, bullets. Does anyone like to say they’ve only killed a few people with their words, actions or indifference? Get involved and volunteer somewhere.
Share Kindness – the cure for the desperate and disillusioned. Kindness is unexpected and is like a drink of water in the desert of our culture.
Submit to Greatness – to live for a noble cause, to believe in a greater purpose, and to willingly worship the God of love who loved so intensely he gave His only Son. What cause, person, or mission would you do that for? To believe in Jesus is to raise the standard of life from survival to significance.
I realized that my objection to Aurora is not unexpected. My faith reminds me this is what we’re fighting for.
“Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lionlooking for someone to devour.” 1 Peter 5:8
