By Dr. Rusty Sieck, Executive Pastor of Ministries
Have you found yourself numb to the reality that we live? Have you heard of one tragedy after another without truly being affected? These realities hit me this week, and these are my thoughts...
Tragedy upon tragedy, unspeakable act, after unspeakable act, the world spirals out of control. While we shed a tear, the tears do not remain. Our hearts have grown callus, our minds have become numb, accepting the evil outcomes one by one. We are losing our ability to be human. To feel, to inspire to dream, and to encourage. To challenge each other to call upon our better nature.
Beliefs, political camps, and a lack of unity have positioned us in opposition rather than standing hand in hand and heart to heart to seek the change that is so overdue. Isn't it time to address the tragedy upon tragedy and unspeakable act upon unspeakable act? We no longer ask what does the Lord require of us? But it's time to act, to ask, to call upon an authority greater than ourselves. It's time to ask, "What does the Lord require but to act justly, and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God."
It's time to act.
What does it mean to act? It means we all must return to an understanding that there needs to be an authority higher than ourselves. We must finally admit that despite all our advances, education, and presumed wisdom, this world is not getting better by abandoning God. It is time to acknowledge that we do not know best. It's time to acknowledge that human wisdom is human and finite. We must turn to an infinite God who does not lack wisdom and has promised that He will give it to us if we ask. But that starts with humility and admitting that we are utterly helpless and in need of a God to redeem, restore and rebuild our lives and our world. We do not have the answers, and we need an infinite God to guide us again.
What does it mean to act? It means we must stop the animosity that exists between us. Who is us? The human race, the people of God's creation. We are all God's creation, we have not all chosen to be His children, but we are all His creation. That means we must understand and come to the reality that all life is sacred and that all life deserves to be treated with dignity, respect, and civility. We must do our best to act as Paul says in Romans 12:18, "If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone." We must return to civility amid our polarizations and various views. Even if we disagree, and we will disagree, we must seek peace and understanding while never building animosity and hatred between us. We must return to civility, to seek understanding and value one another despite our disagreements.
I know these musings do not answer the practical steps needed to fix the tragedy upon tragedy that we experience, but I do believe they are the underlying steps that must be implemented first and foremost so that we all can move forward in creating a better world.
