Solomon wrote, "There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death" (Proverbs 14:12). I thought quite a bit about this text over the last few days. The senseless shooting in Oklahoma has reignited a discussion about how things are in this country and how, if possible, to make things better. I don't pretend to be an expert on this issue and I certainly don't have all of the answers, but a few things did occur to me and I wrestled with how to put into words what I think is a critical issue.
To summarize what happened, Christopher Lane was an Australian native who was in Oklahoma City playing baseball for East Central College. He was killed by three teens who shot him in the back because, in their words, they "were bored and didn't have anything to do, so we killed somebody." Since that statement was given, reports of threatening tweets by one of the teens arrested in connection with this have come out, so there may be more to it than just being "bored." However, this statement is troubling at many levels.
It would be easy, as some are doing, to blame the entertainment industry. Violent video games, movies and television shows are widespread and desensitize people, especially kids, with respect to death. Got killed? Just reboot, start over. No problem There was a time, believe it or not, when television shows and movies sought not only to entertain but to reinforce positive messages. I rediscovered that when I found that Amazon Instant Download has episodes of WKRP in Cincinnati and Lost in Space available. I'm sure many kids now would make fun of the Lost in Space show that I watched as a kid, but watching an episode or two last night reminded me that entertainment was different in the late 1960's and early 1970's. However, is it that simple? Is the entertainment industry the cause of what's gone wrong? I don't think so. If anything, it is a symptom.
Some also see this as an offshoot of not valuing life. Blatant disregard for life and the casual way it can be extinguished seems prevalent throughout every strand of society and mocks our humanity. We continue the abortion debate that began, in earnest, in the early 1970's. The horrific practices of Dr. Kermit Gosnell were exposed in the last several months and sickened many. The incredible numbers of those being killed in urban areas of the United States continues to rise. Life appears to be increasingly disposable. While I believe sowing the seeds of devalued human life has brought about a bitter harvest, I think it, too, is a symptom and not a cause.
Some will want to see this and other horrific events as a referendum on the availability of guns. To me, though, that seems like a faulty argument. Guns have been available throughout the history of us as a people. They serve a needed and valued purpose. Like many other things, when used properly, they are wonderful tools. When used carelessly or without respect, they can be deadly. Guns are a thing or an object, not inherently good or evil. I think there is something much deeper that is the cause or issue.
So, what is it then? After five paragraphs I've come to what I believe to be a cause. We have a spiritual problem. We have not always understood what it means to be a follower of Jesus Christ. Many have craved his love without understanding that if you love him, you do what he says. As a church we've allowed ourselves, in many ways, to become irrelevant and as a culture we've adopted the motto, "I do what I want." Biblical living is viewed with skepticism by many. With regard to the passage in Proverbs that I cited earlier, Matthew Henry, a British theologian wrote, "Foolish and profane men consider sin a mere trifle, to be made light of rather than mourned over."
Families disintegrate because they are not built on a biblical foundation. The deterioration of the family leads to all kinds of other issues that God never intended for us to face.
Perverse actions are seen as "indiscretions" and people ignore what used to outrage.
A sense of "right and wrong" has been replaced by a more transient "relativism" in which "right and wrong" depend upon circumstances.
I'm sure there are more things that could be added to this list, but I think the real question now becomes, "what do we do about it?" In my view, a "turn around" begins with a renewed commitment to Jesus Christ. It would be easy to call for a nationwide revival and call out "sinners" to repent. I don't think that's it, though. It starts much closer to home. Let's examine ourselves and rededicate our lives to better service for our Lord. It is a bit cliché, but our world is changed one life at a time. I want to rededicate my life to serving the Lord in a more effective manner. Will you?
Thanks for reading and God bless....
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