Let us set aside farcical political posturing and the blaming of worldly institutions and political parties for the violence in this American culture. Let us instead receive appropriate conviction and subsequently crumple in humble recognition of the neglect of our Master’s possessions. May those of us who carry within us the Gospel of peace be thoroughly indicted for not sharing that peace and not introducing others to the One who is called the Prince of peace. Are we praying for those like Julian Assange and Jared Loughner, whose torment is so evident upon their faces? Are we bringing them to meet the One who holds the answer to their angst and who can heal the dark intentions of their hearts? May Christians mourn our neglect of those entrusted to us, those precious possessions of our Master, spoken of so clearly in Matthew 24. Let us mourn our hording of talents, our hypersensitive egos, and our lack of sensible faithfulness so valued by the Master and the coming King. May the incident in Tuscon inspire and spur and pry up us Christians who leave the souls of this earth alone to flounder and struggle on their own; may it be the spur in our sides to encourage us to show others the Way.
Most surely we will meet resistance; most surely we will lose friends and harm relationships and cause offense. Most certainly our message will not be welcome by all; but there will be those who will, through our faithfulness, meet the Master, and who will be healed by Him, and whose violent intentions will be thwarted to the safety and joy of many. Let us be inspired now more than ever to enter the battle and put ourselves between these tormented souls and the consequent horror; let us not love our lives and reputations more than the lives and souls of these. May we taste and feel and see and know the urgency of the situation, the desperateness of the need, and may we go forth without flinching to introduce those to Him who was born King of the Jews – to Jesus who is called the Christ.
