This was written back in February with the Parkland shooting. I never published it but came upon it today before the Synagogue tragedy happened. I decided to share and welcome your thoughts :
If I ruled the world…...I would inevitably screw it up. But I can add value, and I can do that without ruling it. I can do it beginning with ruling myself. So, as I say that I’m going to put my mind to paper- a bit like mental throw up, who knows if it will make it any further than this page and my eyes but here goes.
Today, our world and, our country really sux.
There has been yet another school shooting. 17 people.
17 precious lives lost, countless others wounded and affected that still breathe this side of eternity. Included in that the life of the shooter.
I know there is good in the world and I believe that God is good and powerful- I do not know why He chooses as He does nor, will I debate this with anyone.
I see humanity divided in 2 directions when tragedy strikes. One that says prayer does nothing and only actions matter and another that thinks only prayer will work. I believe in a combination. I believe in falling to your knees and seeking the only Hand that is truly in control and then I believe in moving and working in any area we have been given control over. After praying or while still praying I believe in getting up and doing; and If I can’t stand then I crawl, but I believe in moving.
My words and my action both matter. It is not an either/or but “AND” that is calling us. Not a faith OR work mentality but Faith AND Work calling.
Consider what it would look like if we truly humbled ourselves by the millions and called on the name of God to act? Would God move as He did in the past? I would like to find out. I know it would bring us seeking together, even if only in physical proximity; which is something that we are not doing, as of today.
We would be wise to seek first the repentance we need as individuals and as a nation. An arrogant heart will not move the hand of another, much less the hand of the Almighty. We have been instructed as much and witness this truth time after time; throughout time.
But here is where the “AND” rather than the “OR” must be.
As we seek the Hand of God to move, we should be moving our own hands and feet. This is so important to God that we love in action. So important that we love one another in word and deed. He shows it through the demonstrative action of His love and the cross.
It is so primary that we be reconciled to each other that He requires sacrifices of Himself for our benefit throughout scripture. “If you have a gift to present at the altar to honor Him, but in your heart, you have a grievance with your brother leave and go and reconcile with him. “(paraphrase)
The God of all humanity, worthy of all praise and worship, fully in control chooses to place the desire for us to love one another before the adoration of Himself.
Mabey, just maybe He wants us to do life together. In Unity. All of it. Pray together, move together, work together. Side by side. Hand in hand. Hear and there. You and me.
Others say prayer is wasted and only action matters. To be honest both groups make me a bit disappointed, especially when I find myself dwelling in one or the other.
Faith without works is dead is scriptural, as are the words of Christ “Apart from me you can do nothing”. This is more evidence of the AND that we need.
And while actions change the world, faith is the driving intention of our action. Prayer brings us under the same umbrella, binding us and shielding us from the storms that this life brings as we cling tightly and depend on one another. Most importantly praying empties us of ourselves. I know I am wonderfully and fearfully made and I also recognize my propensity to be sinful creature in need of the One who not only made me, but created salvation from my self-destruction.
To those who pray earnestly, seeking to move the hand of God I urge us all to pray not only alone but together. And in those prayers, seek to be emptied of yourself and seek what you can do, where you should go, the direction your hands and feet need to be moving. Let us Wake up and Show up. Act in kindness and sacrifice wherever you go. Unnoticed, unrewarded but never ineffective.
As of today, there will be a thousand comments on how to fix things, another thousand on who is to blame. These comments will then lead to arguments between strangers who may never meet but will openly criticize and condemn one another brazenly behind the shield of a blue screen. Many will love the sound of their own voice expressed in keyboard taps. False narratives will come out, ultimatum solutions, and social experts will be born. Even families who live within spitting distance will do just that to one another on a virtual platform. Alliances will be formed over mutual ridicule of another’s view, flippant suggestion, or reactive thought.
NONE of this will prevent another tragedy, NONE of this will bind up a wounded body or heart. The chatter of participating voyeurs has no healing ability. It is useless for solutions, guidance or answers.
But do not be mistaken into thinking has it has no power. It has the power to distract, to divide, to destroy. It distracts us form the horror that is. From the reality that isn’t personally touching us but is ever present before us. We get to chime in on another’s tragedy and offer our so informed solutions: or better yet our “told -you-so” preventions. We allow media to mesmerize us as it presents the train wreck we just can’t look away from, but refuse to get bloody amid.
We will look for answers, reasons, villains, heroes and side stories. The media will continue to supply the chum we demand and devour it like a frenzy of starving sharks.
As we are distracted the divide among us will deepen. We will blame one entity or another and all who would dare be guilty by association. Our fingers will come out pointing, then they will continue to place into print what our lips are uttering. Profanities will be spewed upon human beings that have the wrong colors beside their profile picture. We will add our 2 cents worth, giving our precious time to express our mighty opinion and claiming our right to do so. We strike the iron hot and break the foundation of loving each other. Every comment, reposted opinion and vomited thought deepens the crevasse.
As we move to our prospective sides we console ourselves that we have found others to join the “Us” that is against “Them”. And then we convince ourselves that is enough. Our unity is against the common enemy. But we are the enemy. The enemy of our own souls and the souls of our brother. Destruction level: satisfied
Then we keep up our bitching by the watercooler at work, our frequent social media breaks and our agreement over that ignorant people we are not apart of as we have drinks on the front porch. And then after a few days we move on because we have things to do for ourselves, our lives.
Another tragedy will unfold and take the place of the current one and like insulin to a diabetic we will seek sustenance once again from the latest event.
I say all this to myself and anyone this ever gets read by. Today I am processing, and I do that best by writing, sometimes I share, sometimes I don’t. But I say all this in an out loud way because I have been a part of it at one time or another. I write as a one guilty. But I also write as one who has been confronted with that behavior and has made a choice to see it and make another choice.
I have always wanted to encourage others. And that takes courage. The kind that sees yourself. All the able, ugly, kind, hateful, guilty, repentant, forgiven, accountable mess that I am. All of this. Within all this I would like to encourage people to get off the ineffective forms of humanity.
And yes, I know social media is not evil of itself and can do a lot of good. I get it. But the fact is-- It isn’t doing that right now.
Because individual by individual is not choosing well.
I encourage us to choose more wisely.
How can we hope to bind humanity when we choose to trust technology to handle the issues that should be met skin to skin?
Today take the time-consuming way, take the repentant, humble way. Take yourself out there. Praying, feeding, building, writing. Holding the hand of someone suffering without offering your words. Sacrifice your time, tears and tender for another and expect nothing in return. Write the letter. Buy the meal. Silence your phone.
Hold back your immediate opinion. Listen, even when you don’t agree. Then suggest you both go DO something for someone. Be random, be specific. But be a seeker and a doer.
And on days you can’t seem to move at all, be still. Don’t add to the problem and don’t condemn those who are, without first offering them to be still with you, have lunch with you, create, laugh or cry with you. They may or may not take you up on it. That is okay, you don’t control it all and you have no business condemning what you can’t. Let that go. Control yourself, your words your reactions, your time.
Don’t be distracted when you can be dedicated.
May Peace Be With Us All.
Then there were some intangible needs like safety or
education. Everyone needs to be safe.
But exactly what does that look like? Military? Police? Handgun? Gated community? Guard
dog? The discussion could go on and on.
What the exercise did was not only allow you to see the very basics of human
need (food, water, shelter, safety, education, love, employment) but also
required you to consider the specific way in which those needs were filled and
if those ways blurred into wants. 