June 3rd, 2022
by Raydean Stuckey
by Raydean Stuckey
The World Not As It Should Be
In just the past few weeks, my heart has been broken (as I’m sure yours has) by multiple mass shootings, one in a supermarket in Buffalo, another at a hospital in Tulsa, and an extra heartbreaking mass shooting at a school in Uvalde, Texas. I heard today about at least one more shooting at a church not making national headlines where two innocent people were shot and killed. Sadly, the frequency makes it hard to even keep up and remember them all. So very tragic.
Simultaneously, our nation is debating abortion rights and legalities. Not only are the ramifications of such big decisions incredibly morally significant, but the debate itself seems to be vicious and accusatory, full of name-calling, backbiting, and self-righteousness.
And those aren’t the only things. There are so many others. Sexual abuse allegations and cover-ups within the church, among people who claim Christ as Lord. Racial tensions continuing to escalate in certain communities. Russia is still invading Ukraine.
Then, America is subjected to hours and hours and multiple headlines of the very public brawl between Johnny Depp (aka Captain Jack Sparrow) and Amber Heard. While I still do not understand why THIS celebrity breakup is more significant than any other, it just goes along with all of the other things that remind us: this world is not as it should be. No matter who is right or who is wrong, the whole thing is just really sad. There is so much hurt between them. This world is broken. And while some laws and politics may address some of the issues above, they will never fully resolve them.
So what are we to do? Here are a few thoughts I’ve been pondering in light of the recent events.
1) Continue to remind each other and teach our kids the value of human life.
I can’t help but think that some of the heartless killing we are seeing in our nation is a result of the value of human life being diminished all the time.
The prophet Jeremiah said about the hardened nation of Judah to whom he preached: “Are they ashamed of their disgusting actions? Not at all—they don’t even know how to blush!”
They don’t know how to blush. Have we forgotten how to blush? Have we grown so desensitized about the value of human life that it doesn’t phase us as perhaps it once did? We must continue the charge to celebrate the value of human life as God does.
2) Continue to be driven by God’s Word over opinions or politics.
So many of these sorts of things become political even before they have a chance to become moral. And yet, the people of God are called to follow His Word and His call, even when it is hard, and break away from any party lines and personal stances to unite with Christ.
3) Continue to pray and pour in the love of Jesus into this world.
The hands and feet of Christ – you and me – must continue to be just that. As pockets of our world plunge deeper and deeper into evil, we do not shrink back. Nor do we spend all of our energy declaring other people evil. We take action in love and be like Jesus each and every day. We make decisions like Jesus. We speak like Jesus. We turn our hearts to Jesus. And as we do, His church will be the light on the hill, a beacon of hope for a world in desperate need of a touch from the Savior.
Yours & His,
Chris VandeLinde
In just the past few weeks, my heart has been broken (as I’m sure yours has) by multiple mass shootings, one in a supermarket in Buffalo, another at a hospital in Tulsa, and an extra heartbreaking mass shooting at a school in Uvalde, Texas. I heard today about at least one more shooting at a church not making national headlines where two innocent people were shot and killed. Sadly, the frequency makes it hard to even keep up and remember them all. So very tragic.
Simultaneously, our nation is debating abortion rights and legalities. Not only are the ramifications of such big decisions incredibly morally significant, but the debate itself seems to be vicious and accusatory, full of name-calling, backbiting, and self-righteousness.
And those aren’t the only things. There are so many others. Sexual abuse allegations and cover-ups within the church, among people who claim Christ as Lord. Racial tensions continuing to escalate in certain communities. Russia is still invading Ukraine.
Then, America is subjected to hours and hours and multiple headlines of the very public brawl between Johnny Depp (aka Captain Jack Sparrow) and Amber Heard. While I still do not understand why THIS celebrity breakup is more significant than any other, it just goes along with all of the other things that remind us: this world is not as it should be. No matter who is right or who is wrong, the whole thing is just really sad. There is so much hurt between them. This world is broken. And while some laws and politics may address some of the issues above, they will never fully resolve them.
So what are we to do? Here are a few thoughts I’ve been pondering in light of the recent events.
1) Continue to remind each other and teach our kids the value of human life.
I can’t help but think that some of the heartless killing we are seeing in our nation is a result of the value of human life being diminished all the time.
The prophet Jeremiah said about the hardened nation of Judah to whom he preached: “Are they ashamed of their disgusting actions? Not at all—they don’t even know how to blush!”
They don’t know how to blush. Have we forgotten how to blush? Have we grown so desensitized about the value of human life that it doesn’t phase us as perhaps it once did? We must continue the charge to celebrate the value of human life as God does.
2) Continue to be driven by God’s Word over opinions or politics.
So many of these sorts of things become political even before they have a chance to become moral. And yet, the people of God are called to follow His Word and His call, even when it is hard, and break away from any party lines and personal stances to unite with Christ.
3) Continue to pray and pour in the love of Jesus into this world.
The hands and feet of Christ – you and me – must continue to be just that. As pockets of our world plunge deeper and deeper into evil, we do not shrink back. Nor do we spend all of our energy declaring other people evil. We take action in love and be like Jesus each and every day. We make decisions like Jesus. We speak like Jesus. We turn our hearts to Jesus. And as we do, His church will be the light on the hill, a beacon of hope for a world in desperate need of a touch from the Savior.
Yours & His,
Chris VandeLinde
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