Category: Spiritual Reflections

What is there to say about the tragedy in Connecticut? Words simply can’t convey what the heart feels in instances like this.

As I listened to the news on my way to the store, my eyes welled with tears and my stomach felt as if someone had punched it.

What words would I be able to use in instances like this? I’m sorry? That seems so inadequate.

In times like these I believe the best thing to do is say nothing, hold the person who this has personally impacted, cry with them, hold their hand and simply allow touch to give whatever healing it can give. And if we’re not around to do this, all we can do is pray and hold those we love closer to us because we never know when this will happen to us.

A friend once told me that she appreciated food that we had left for her and her family after her mother passed away. This can also be helpful, but most times eating is impossible as the mind simply can’t wrap itself around the tragic events.

This tragedy is horrid! Seeing pictures of children with their faces wincing and crying in anguish — what could bring more pain to our hearts? Those who saw images of the carnage will never be able to remove the picture from their minds and it may forever haunt them.

Words of encouragement? All I can say is that there is a place that we can look forward to where pain and suffering do not exist. I can hardly wait for that day.

“And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and He will dwell with them. They will be His people, and God Himself will be with them and be their God. ^4 ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”  Revelation 21:3, 4

May the families, friends and all of us who are impacted by this take some comfort in these words. Come Lord Jesus, please come!

There have been so many articles written regarding Gerald (Jerry) Sandusky, the former Penn State University football coach who was found guilty of sexual abuse, that I hesitate to put my two cents worth into the discussion.

However, what I find lacking, except in very few instances, is discussion around how a Christian should react to Mr. Sandusky.

I haven’t found anyone, Christian or otherwise, who is not appalled by what has happened. Child abuse is such a horrible crime that I can’t wrap my brain around how anyone can abuse children. On this earth, we all look for justice as a means to punish the wrongs that society (people) commit and there is nothing wrong with that. What would our world look like if everyone was allowed to do as they pleased without any regard to the safety of others?

But what or who do I see when I look at Mr. Sandusky?

I am saddened to look at the face of this man whose inner thoughts or motives no one can possibly know — perhaps not even he can explain what happened. How does a person get to this point in their life? Was he in need of acceptance or power or did he have a mental disorder?

I know people will ask why I am not first saddened by what has happened to the victims — children at the time of the abuse. Don’t misunderstand what I am saying here. I am deeply saddened and troubled by what the victims have had to go through. But if Mr. Sandusky weren’t “defective” there would have been no victims.

And here is where I think the majority of people, including Christians, err in their thinking.

We are all defective. We like to think we are better than others but in reality we are not. I know no person who is perfect. The list of vices that we humans have is innumerable, i.e. cheating, gossiping, murder, rape, lust, lying, stealing, coveting, selfishness, etc.

Does my vice or defectiveness equal that of a child molester’s? Whose in charge of ranking the morality of society? Me? You? The government? The church?

As a Christian, I accept that I am a sinner along with everyone else in the world. What I am offered through the death of Christ is forgiveness of my sins, mercy, kindness and acceptance as a child of the Creator of the universe. I don’t take this gift lightly.

So how I view and treat my fellow travelers on this earth is important. I have to be able to impart the same gift to others that I have been given and have accepted. Is it easy? Absolutely not. I am prone to look at the actions of people since I cannot read their hearts.

I can’t read Mr. Sandusky’s heart — only God can so only He will be able to give true pardon or justice as He sees fit.

What I do know is that Mr. Sandusky, if he wants it, is offered the same gift that I am. And since I am a child of the God who provides that gift, I have to be able (through His strength) to offer it to my fellow travelers on this earth — including Mr. Sandusky.

I have had to forgive my own predators and place them in God’s hands for redemption.

So much heartache has been caused by Mr. Sandusky’s actions and lives will never be the same.

But dear reader, as we look at what is happening around us in the world, let us reflect on how our own thoughts and actions affect the people we rub shoulders with every day. Let us remember that we too have the power to lift up or tear down the lives of people around us. Like an old poem says “drop a pebble in the water, in a splash it is gone but there are hundreds little ripples circling on and on and on.”

May my, and your, influence build up and not tear down. And may God have mercy on us all as we travel in this pain-filled world.

Drop A Pebble In the Water

Drop a pebble in the water: just a splash and it is gone
But there’s half-a-hundred ripples circling on and on and on
Spreading, spreading from the center, flowing on out to the sea
And there’s no way of telling where the end is going to be.

Drop a pebble in the water: in a minute you forget
But there’s little waves a-flowing, and there’s ripples circling yet
And those little waves a-flowing to a great big wave have grown
You’ve disturbed a mighty river just by dropping in a stone

Drop an unkind work, or careless: in a minute it is gone
But there’s half-a-hundred ripples circling on and on and on
They keep spreading, spreading, spreading from the center as they go
And there is no way to stop them once you’ve started them to flow

Drop an unkind word, or careless: in a minute you forget
But there’s little waves a-flowing and there’s ripples circling yet
And perhaps in some sad heart a mighty wave of tears you’ve stirred
And disturbed a life was happy ere you dropped that unkind word

Drop a word of cheer and kindness: just a flash and it is gone
But there’s half-a-hundred ripples circling on and on and on
Bearing hope and joy and comfort on each splashing, dashing wave
Till you wouldn’t believe the volume of the one kind word you gave

Drop a word of cheer and kindness: in a minute you forget
But there’s gladness still a-swelling and there’s joy a-circling yet
And you’ve rolled a wave of comfort whose sweet music can be heard
Over miles and miles of water just by dropping one kind word

While living in Seattle, I attended a small Seventh-day Adventist church with a membership that was between 20 and 30 people. The members were simple folk who loved God and tried to live their lives showing kindness and love to those they met. Occasionally, we would get visitors who would drop in to worship with us. Some visitors came to intentionally upset the church service and on a recent trip to Seattle I was reminded of these visitors. They came in a large school bus with writing all over it. It was always a man and woman, I presume married, and on occasion an older child. We never knew when to expect them — winter, summer, spring, fall. And every time they came, I cringed.

It’s not that we didn’t want to be friendly or loving but my gut felt like it was being twisted because of the negative messages on the bus and the way they would come into the church, stand up and disrupt the speaker or class that was in progress.

The words on the front of the bus weren’t a problem.

But some of the other phrases were not friendly and are not in line with what Christians believe. God as our Father is not intent on “smoking” us much like human parents don’t “smoke” their children because they smoke.

And apparently, the bus is for sale … at $112,000.

The family that visited the church never really wanted to have discussion around their beliefs but assumed we were all close-minded and called us unloving. Their message was/is of a vengeful God — a God who is waiting for one misstep on a human’s part in order to zap us. At least that’s what the various phrases on the bus state and what we were admonished about.

I don’t know if this family has had any success reaching anyone with the true message of Christ — that God sent Him into the world to save and not to condemn — because their messages reek of condemnation.

No, I would never consider buying this bus with its message of an unloving vengeful God. Surely we can do better than that in portraying what God sent His Son to show us — that He truly loves and and was willing to allow His Son to die for us unworthy and selfish humans.

“For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.”  John 3:16, 17