Monday; August 5

          Have you noticed that there is a lot of blame being handed out these days, but have you also noticed that we are typically short on assessing personal accountability?  Folks, we have a violence problem in our society and we seem to be helpless in stopping it – or are we?  No, the changes won’t come overnight, but we have to do something.  Maybe this will help.  Let’s stop blaming peripheral people/issues and start focusing on personal accountability.  It is easy to blame violence on “guns” but no firearm has ever loaded itself and started firing!  It is convenient to blame politicians, but I don’t know of a leader who has actually pulled a trigger and killed multiple people.  (By the way – this cuts both ways ... both those who are accused of being soft on gun laws and those who have been accused of not effectively policing their own neighborhoods.)  It is popular to blame videogames, but people are not killed by a controller operating a handheld video device.
As I have watched this trend unfold over the past few years, I have come to realize that if we are going to stop it, it must be done on a personal level.  Evil does not exist as a social phenomenon, it is done by individuals one act at a time. 
As we mourn the latest tragedies we are faced with the cutting question – is there any hope?  I believe there is, but it will be built one person at a time.  If you are angry – deal with it quickly and effectively.  If you can’t do it on your own, GET HELP!  The Bible reminds us, “Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.” (Ephesians 4:31).  If you know someone who is struggling with these issues take the initiative to intervene.  Rarely does the rage that leads to assault and murder live in a vacuum.  Either help them get the help they need or warn someone who can mediate in their explosiveness. 
          It may be out of vogue to say “our thoughts and prayers” go out to the victims – maybe it would be more appropriate to think about and pray about the perpetrators.  Let’s have the courage to stand up for what is right BEFORE it all goes wrong. 
          Think About It!

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