“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you," Matthew 5.43
I am frustrated beyond words — seven more dead in Texas, another 20 plus wounded. These are only the deaths by violence that made the national news. We will probably never hear about the other 161 people who die violently on the same day.
There is a sickness in the human soul fed by the poison of hyper-individualism that leads us to regard anyone beyond ourselves as an object to be used and cast aside when we are done. It is at epidemic proportions in our society, displaying no signs of diminishing. We expect and demand the 'right' to whatever we want when we want to with little regard for how it might affect the lives of others.
Most of the solutions hinge on restricting someone else's rights, passing stricter laws, and more draconian actions which may stem the tide for a time. However, over time they will feed the alienation and resentment those who act violently already feel.
We hear this cry from more and more corners of our society. No more 'thoughts and prayers', action is the demand. The pressure to do something is growing, but it will probably only deepen the divide. We might even pass legislation that will severely restrict gun sales, maybe even ban certain types altogether. If history is at all relevant, we tried prohibition early in the 20th century. It led to more crime and violence.
Jesus gives us the starting point, learn to love your enemies. Pray for them, pray prayers that are about real people we have met, talked to, gotten to know even if everything they espouse is repugnant to us. Jesus stood face to face with those who hated Him. He prayed for them, wept over them, and gave His life for them.
We need more prayers, now more than ever. Prayers for those killed and wounded, prayers for their families, prayers for law enforcement and EMS who must face the victims and the violent. Prayers that our Father will transform our hearts so that no hate resides there, and prayers that He leads us to seek out the very ones who would do the world harm, praying that we might show them Christ's love and His desire to heal them as well.