Drawing Up a Play

Is it just me, or has the world gone off its rocker in the last month or so?  I feel like there is hatred and division everywhere.  Then throw in the massacre last weekend in Orlando and it's just all too much for me.  My mind can't wrap around what is happening and what in the world needs to be done to change it. I can't figure out how the heck I'm supposed be raising good kids in this mess.  If BB and LL were old enough to ask questions, how would I answer them?


And, fortunately, I'm not alone. I've talked to other friends who are finding themselves without answers as well.  I mean really good people who are trying hard to do their very best to follow Jesus, but feel like their heads are spinning right now about what that looks like in this current situation.  As much as I'd like it to be, I just don't think things are all black and white.

There's not a play in the book for exactly what to do here.  I need Jesus to have sat down with a dry erase clip board and some X's and O's to show me exactly where I'm supposed to be running and how to catch the dang ball on this one.

I think the best we can do is try to live justly and treat people right.  We can pray and read the Bible and go to church and love our neighbor.  We can do our very best to show people Jesus.

For me, I've decided that it looks like kindness.  I don't care whether someone is a Muslim or Christian or gay or transgender or has assault rifles in their gun safe.  I'm going to be kind.  I'm going to be respectful.  I'm going to treat them like human beings.  I will listen to those with different beliefs.  I will respect that they have the right to their beliefs, just like I have the right to mine.  I will mourn anytime ANYONE is killed.  I will ask God for mercy and healing and hope.

I'm erring on the side of kindness.  That's the play I've drawn up on my clipboard.

Because that's my best understanding about what Jesus would do.  And I may get to Heaven one day and find out that I'm going about this completely wrong.  But, as one of my very favorite prayers by Thomas Merton says, "But I believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you."

Lord, help us all.