Attitude Shift

Continue to Pray for the Families at Fort Hood, TX.
- Chaplain Jack

It may surprise you to discover that about 200 years ago, in this nation, the average life span was roughly 35 years.
It might also surprise, if not horrify you, to find out that one-half of all children born during that same period of time, died before the age of five years.
With both of these God did not intervene; He allowed the young to die in what we would call the prime of life and children, who could barely speak, to grapple with the cold, iron clutches of death. 

During that same period of time, God did not intervene when the European Powers of the day carved up the New World so that it could be exploited by the old regimes of that continent.
Native died, the land was raped, resources were stolen; yet, God allowed it to happen and in some places - it continues to happen.

Years later, God watched the Nazi Reich attempt to eliminate whom He calls His 'Chosen People.'
And as He watched; He waited.

While God did not intervene in any of these cases directly, let me explain what did happen.
Two-hundred years ago, largely led by Christians, humans developed better nutrition and finally, a doctor had the good sense to require people to wash their hands before dealing with patients.
The result was the life expectancy of children and adults climbed and it continues to climb today.

And yes, Europe's Old World Order dissected the New World; but they didn't know what to do with it.
While I cannot speak for other parts of the hemisphere, I do know that the 13 English Colonies got a little tired of the human and Biblical violations taking place at the hands of the Crown.
Therefore, when Thomas Jefferson and the boys wrote the Declaration of Independence, they cited 27 Human Violations as dictated in God's Word.
As further proof of a new direction - the very first act of Congress was to commission the printing of 50,000 Bibles for the evangelization of the American Indians.

As for the Third Reich and Nazi Germany, out of the horror that did indeed happen to the Jewish people would come a liberation of the Allies.
Seeing for themselves and General Eisenhower ordering the documenting of the Holocaust through written accounts, testimonials and film; the Jews would gain the political state of Israel as we know it today.

While I cannot explain it, I do know that for whatever reason God allows history to take its course and then expects His followers to be used in the middle of the mess to 'do something about it.'
The truth is that millions of people call out to God every day; some for healing, some for a spouse, some for truth, others for a child - but whatever His people call out for, all of them expect God to do something about the situation at hand.
Haven't you done that in your life?

But God simply does not intervene in every instance of evil and suffering; although we dearly wish He did.
Even as I type these words, I watch the updates on television concerning the shooting at Fort Hood, Texas.
While at this time we know nothing of the shooter or even if there is but one; we do know there are people injured, families hurting and four people have entered eternity.
And each of the families connected to those who are in pain and suffering over this event, they want answers as to 'Why God did not stop this tragedy?'
Wouldn't you?

Of course. 
Every person who isn't a total imbecile would want God to intervene and stop the seemingly needless bloodshed.
We would also want God to stop every tragedy; but how far do we take it?
If we could have God stop everything we deemed wrong with the world - while there would be no more drunk drivers, fatalities in planes, acts of terror and the like; there would also be no stubbed toes on steps which keep you from falling down the steps.

No...God stopping every act of evil, while a popular thought, is just not practical - as hard as that statement is to swallow.
If God stopped every pain, every tragedy, every instance of suffering - there would be no need for a Christian to be faced daily with the challenge to 'live out our faith.'

Christians are commissioned by God and are expected to be His agents within the brokenness of this world.
We are the ones who are to intervene on His behalf; in compassion and grace.
The fact is that as a Christian, I am not a robot; nor are you.
Together, our commission is to act with our own volition for His glory.

Amid suffering, pain, tragedy and evil in this fallen world; those words and those actions are a lot easier spoken than performed.

I don't know if you've ever noticed this, but the Bible tends to evade the 'why' questions when it comes to causes of suffering or pain.
Could it be that knowing 'why' will take the focus off the person and to the cause?

Even now, the talking heads of the 24-hour cable news shows are trying to find a 'cause' for yet another shooter at Fort Hood.
Why does the reason matter at this point other than for future protection and warning?
There are still people wounded, children scared, soldiers locked down and at least four people dead.

Often during visitation, especially in a hospital or a rehabilitation/nursing home, people will tell me of the 'why' of what happened; not so much about their own hurting. This is true in spiritually counseling an individual or couple.
Others can concentrate on the cause and 'why' questions; they have that luxury. 
Christians do not.
Our duty is to focus on the person in compassion and grace; not the reason why they hurt.

Once, when confronted with a man who had been blind from birth, the disciples asked Jesus, 'Who sinned? This man or his parents?'
That seems so logical, especially in light of the Old Testament; but it also seems like something the friends of Job would ask.

Either option Jesus chose would have not produced compassion.
Instead, the disciples could have claimed a moral superiority because obviously they were more righteous, since none of them were blind.
Yet, when Jesus addresses the issue, suffering as a punishment seems to go by the wayside as an unimportant idea.

You see, the immediate victims of suffering or pain or tragedy - they are little served by answering 'why' questions.
What parent was comforted at Sandy Hook when we learned their children died at the hands of a mad-man?

Or was the students who had Christa McAuliffe in class comforted when they learned faulty O-Rings were to blame for the Challenger Explosion.
And will any military member be satisfied with the explanation tomorrow for what is happening in Fort Hood today?

In the New Testament, when it deals with pain and suffering, nearly every passage deflects from the cause of it, to our response.

C. S. Lewis once called pain 'God's Megaphone.'
Maybe so.
I can attest to the fact that pain does act as a hearing aid.
When we suffer, we listen better; and sometimes, we hear things we much rather ignore.

And what we're hearing now is that our society is hurting and falling to pieces before our eyes.

Therefore, you and I have our work cut out for us; but it is a work that can only be done under the power of the Holy Spirit, in the compassion and grace of Jesus Christ.

Remember - whether they know it or not - the world needs us more now than ever.
Until next time, win one for the good guys.