Tuesday; September 26

As I write this, they are still trying to find a motive for the church shooting in the Nashville area.  I am very well aware of incidences of church violence over the last several years.  Having been in Law Enforcement or church work since the mid-1980s this is a topic very close to my heart (and mind).  The shooting last Sunday, though, garners a bit more of my attention because it involved people who were probably as close to my religious understanding as any of those who have been impacted in the past. 
As I followed this story something seemed to jump out at me.  When I read the phrase, “They are trying to determine the reason for the shooting” my brain screamed, “There is NO reason for the shooting!”.  Folks, this type of violence cannot be explained.  Someone might come up for a set of circumstances that lead to this event, but they will not be able to reasonably explain why one human being chose to take the life of another (and seemed intent on killing more).  I am well aware of all the social discussions that surround violence in today’s society, but it is unjustifiable and inexcusable.
People are not new to violence – in fact, it shook the first family of man when Cain killed Abel – but, it is still wrong.  The Bible described the exchange between God and Cain following the murder, “Then the Lord said to Cain, ‘Where is Abel your brother?’ And he said, ‘I do not know. Am I my brother’s keeper?’”.  (Genesis 4:9)  The answer then and now is “YES! We are our brother’s keepers!”.  By viewing our relationships in this light we can curtail the violence, the injustices and the disunity that continues to plague our communities.
Think About It!

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