Did you happen to read this story on Monday about the three Chinese students who died in Ohio? Take a second to read it, and come on back. Be sure to read it in its entirety.I was absolutely heart broken when I first read the details of this tragedy. Then I clicked here to see the images of the jurors hugging the students’ parents and I thought I would need another box of tissues. How does something like this happen? How is it, that years later, this suffering has not been eased?
Where is the Church? These are the very kinds of moments and spaces and places that we are called to enter, and this article should be liitered with references to Christians and churches offering aid. But perhaps we are currently too busy being upset about the references to gays and lesbians during the Oscar telecast.
Hear me out, even though I will undoubtedly upset some of you. What does God’s justice constitute? Yes, God’s Word is true. No, it does not return to Him void, but what does it really mean to defend it?
Quoting Scripture against sin amounts to nothing, if we aren’t living it against heartache. Is there any chance that God's justice is better realized by collectively assuming the debt of 6 Chinese mourners rather than being collectively disgusted with Sean Penn?
5 comments:
Maybe a bit off the subject, but . . . I don’t particularly “like” Sean Penn. Although I did like how he acknowledged how hard it is to like him. I loved Spicoli. And nobody can deny his talent. I don’t know his heart, but I suspect he cares about people a whole lot more than the average Christian. He certainly acts like he does. And I think his actions represent God’s love more than those of the anti-homosexual Christian community. The moment we start passing judgment or thinking somebody else’s sin is worse than ours, we are in big trouble. I wonder how many “students’ parents” will cross my path today. How many already have?
IMHO -
Your are absolutely, perfectly, correct. Period.
There are so many inequities in this world, that I start to think that the traditional idea of God and what God has Power over needs to be rethought. I want to believe that God has a hand in everything and if you believe in Him, it will be ok. What I'm not saying here is that God had a hand in this, but that this is one of those situations that we (mere humans)can't possibly explain simply. It makes me want to head to the bible (or cliff notes for the bible) and see what it says for circumstances that crush the spirit.
I believe in the God of the bible who allowed us free will in his creation of us and then does what he can with what we've done in our lives. We, as humans, give him lots of opportunities to "fix" things before they happen, but we'd never learn to change, love, give, cry, laugh, etc. We'd always expect a God who does for us before we screw it up. I'm glad I believe in a God who forgives, who gives me opportunities to show how I can be a compassionate Christian to those who are hurting as in this horrible tragedy. Wendy hit the nail on the head....what are we going to do about it. If we constantly go researching for the answer "why" it happened and not help those in need, we've lost what God is calling us to do. That is what God is waiting for....what are we as His children going to do for His children. I loved this post it really got me thinking about how to be a better missionary in my home, neighborhood, church, community, world. Thank you Wendy for your insight!
"Quoting Scripture against sin amounts to nothing, if we aren’t living it against heartache."
Good Stuff...Enough said. :)
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