Monday Reflections

Looking back across the last week, a few thoughts for you today:

1. Somewhere, somehow, there is a reasonable response to violence in our country. However, it’s got to make more sense than both “let’s dump more firearms everywhere” and “let’s take all the firearms away from everyone” do. Why? Because the latter is impossible—unless you’re prepared for house-to-house searches by law enforcement, because those of us who are law abiding enough to consider voluntary turn-ins aren’t likely to be the ones that commit mass violence. The former is almost as nutsy—true, a good person with a gun confronting a murderer is effective. *If* that good person is equipped to handle the situation. This excludes any one who thinks that they can make a 50 yard pistol shot in a crowd and only hit the bad guy, even though they haven’t fired their weapon in six months.

Folks, it’s hard enough to stabilize a rifle and shoot a deer. Factor in the adrenaline of a deadly situation and factor out the training that many law enforcement agencies have to deal with that adrenaline? Darn few of us with CHCLs should draw in a crowded space and shoot back.

The real solution comes before the guns come into play. How does our culture treat life? For a good bit of time, we have held that survival of the fittest and every man for himself make for good slogans in our culture. We are reaping what we have sown. While I would prefer we all willingly embrace Christianity, at the very least we would be well served by thinking a little more about loving our neighbors as ourselves.

Which means, to me, a couple of things: one, I don’t shoot my neighbors; two, I don’t, if at all possible, allow my neighbors to be shot. How we achieve that needs *rational* discussion. This, therefore, excludes any politician running for office or helping others run for office.

2. In that snow and cold last winter, if you posted a “where’s the global warming?” pic, you now have to retract that. Because it’s too dang warm for October. This is another place where rational examination gives us better info. And why trite cliches, either direction, serve to kill discussion.

3. I’m reading a really good book called 5 Gears. I’d say it’s about time management, but it’s really about life management.

4. At some point, I believe that we consciously answer for the way we have treated others. I think it’s the Scriptural concept of judgment by God. And it’s far more serious than “karma.” Karma is blind—you don’t know if you got it or not. Nor do you know what you did.

But at the judgment before the Almighty? You will. You will know. You will know what good you have done, and what harm….and you will see that apart from the grace of God, you cannot compensate.

 

That’s my thoughts for this Monday.