Adam Lanza, Gun Control, Social Norms and Resting in God

   America has been shocked this week by Adam Lanza's unthinkably murderous rampage in Newtown, Connecticut. Several times I've found myself in tears as the details of the deaths of innocent young children have been revealed. In response, public debate has opened on a variety of subjects including mental illness identification and treatment, gun control, and the impact of violent entertainment. Plagued by a sense that we must do something to make certain that an event like this will never happen again, it seems that everything is on the table for discussion. 
 

   As the focus of these discussions sharpens, the debate often centers on "what is normal"? In a free society, what is normal and acceptable gun control? What is normal and acceptable monitoring of those who suffer mental illness? What is normal and acceptable portrayal of violence in movies and video games? We are searching simple answers to a an exhaustively complex set of questions. As we search, we regularly bump up against our constitution. Gun advocates wave the Second Amendment, the entertainment industry waves First Amendment free speech rights, and advocates for those who suffer mental illness Wave First, Third, Fourth, Fifth and Fourteenth Amendment privacy rights. Given these diverse factions, interest groups, and settled law,  is it possible to find and define an accurate new social norm?

 

   Proverbs 3:5,6 says -- Trust the Lord with all your heart and lean not to your own understanding. Acknowledge Him in a all your ways and He shall direct your paths. Our society was founded upon and for years looked to the bible for the definition of behavioral normalcy. In my lifetime, cultural normalcy has been redefined in many ways which are no longer compatible with biblical teaching. It seems that normal as defined by man is far weaker than normal as defined by God. Our cultural shift from God has created a courser society. Our societal floating normal, ever changing, leaves no well defined image in its wake, and that jiggly, slippery  normal it produces prohibits peace, with confused definitions of right and wrong competing for our approval.

 

   Through the great prophet Isaiah (55:9) the Lord reminds us -- As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts. As Christians we can find peace only by resting in God's Truth.  There is no need for us to form opinions on every subject debated and we certainly should never bend to the social pressure applied to us to reject biblical wisdom and rely instead on human thinking. We do not conform to cultural norms, but rather are transformed by the renewing of our minds by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in our hearts and by studying God's Word.  

 

    We can have a positive effect on the debate not by spouting angry opinions, but by contributing God's wisdom instead of ours. We can console the wounded, empathize with those suffering, and pray for grieving families and our political leaders. We must be purveyors of a point of view born in the heavenlies. We are vessels of the Lord's peace, to be poured out amid pained confusion.

 

    We live in a world broken and transformed from God's image by sin. Evil will strike our heel from time to time, but one day the Lord will crush Evil's head permanently.

   Until then, even in the midst of catastrophic tragedy, we can only rest in God, trusting Him alone as the source of our peace.


Copyright 2012 Mission of the Master Ministries, Inc. May be quoted in whole or in part if a link is provided to http://wordworkswednesday.blogspot.com

Powerball Dreams, Fireman Ed and Forgiveness Flowing From Love

 

 

A few years ago I was in Asia in a restaurant that served western style food. A wealthy local family entered and were seated. They were very westernized Asians. They all wore all name brand expensive western clothing. They had several children with them and also a poorly dressed young woman, the family slave. She watched them eat and waited on the kid’s every whim. When they had finished eating, she was allowed to finish their unwanted scraps. At 15, she was their slave. She had no rights. She had no right to express her indignation. She had no recourse but to do exactly what she was told, exactly when she was told to do it. In a nation like America where many are focused today on small white Power Ball lottery tickets that will award someone $500,000,000 (pre-tax) and how we would spend that if we won, it is hard to relate to the notion of one human owning another.        Peter reminds those who were slaves in the natural who belonged to Christ that they were to, by voluntary submission to Christ, also submit to their masters, whether good or evil. Servants, be submissive to your masters with all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the harsh.(1 Peter 2:18 NKJV)

  

  There is almost nothing as likely to bring me charging from a submissive state of mind than when I suffer an injustice and the accompanying feeling of humiliation at the hands of another person. I feel the need to voice my opinion and fight back. Slaves do not enjoy that right. Peter lived in a world where often nearly half the people he saw were slaves. I might more easily agree with this verse if he had written — If your master treats you well, respond well. His instruction for Christian response to harsh unjust treatment was to voluntarily carry the burden that is unfairly being heaped upon you. Fireman Ed, the New York Jets most famous super fan, resigned his fanship this week because the indignation of supporting a losing team was more than he could bear. Really? We live in a country with very high class injustice.  
 

   Peter’s words make me consider my own reaction when I suffer harsh unjust treatment. In the very next verse he says — For this is commendable, if because of conscience toward God one endures grief, suffering wrongfully.
 

    The issue of my reaction to harsh treatment and suffering because of conscience toward God lands fundamentally in my faith. Do I trust God to care for my rights and my honor or do I let my hurt feelings reign and determine that I must fix the problem myself? God will always treat me more than fairly. My salvation testifies to the Grace of God in this regard. Christ’s revenge on me for my sin was expressed not like I would have expressed it, but instead with forgiveness flowing from love. Is it possible for me to follow Him to a place where I can respond to injustice with forgiveness flowing from love? What if I react instead of with revenge or even quiet separation, but with forgiveness flowing from love? What if the greater the harsh injustice, I meet it with greater forgiveness flowing from love?
 

   Jesus often leads me to places where I cannot take another step until I surrender to suffering for His name’s sake and trust Him to lead me through it. When I submit, the issue is settled and I have peace (even if my tormentor is still flailing away). People may call that losing, but it is in fact a mighty spiritual victory. It exalts Christ. I cannot lift the name of Jesus by refusing to suffer injustice like He did. There can be victory in submission to suffering that the world will never understand. I need to revisit these thoughts daily, submit, pick up my cross and follow Him.

Copyright 2012 Mission of the Master Ministries, Inc. Can be quoted in whole of in part without prior written permission if a link is provided to http://wordwrokswednesday.blogspot.com