Jesus is Weeping

Hatred put a little city in Virginia on the national, possibly world-wide, map this past weekend.  It was horrific and tragic to watch.  Three people died needlessly, dozens were injured.

I don't live far from Charlottesville.  We shop there, my kids have doctors at the university there. I've been going there for well over twenty years for different reasons.  It's an area I know and love.

What I saw made me sad for this little city.  What I saw made me fear the hatred and anger would spread to my little town, endangering my family. What I saw made me so sad for humanity.  What I saw made Jesus weep for his children.

I wanted to react with the same "end of times" attitude many others had.  For a little while, I did--but what good did that accomplish?   I shook my head and hurried the front page of my newspaper out to the recycling can before Avery could see the picture: The car slamming into human beings, bodies flying, a woman dying.  It was so graphic, and it made me think, again, about what society has become. Instead of jumping in to help, someone was thinking, "Oh!  This would make a great shot!  I should be taking photos of this tragedy!  I bet I can make money from it!"  My shoulders sagged from the weight of it.  Am I guilty of hiding hate from my child, rather than using someone else's tragedy as a teaching moment?  Yes, I am.  The teaching moment will come another time, when it's not at the expense of someone else.

I wanted to be silent; but the church our church helped plant in Charlottesville did not stay silent. They rose up and prayed over their city, over GOD'S city.   I could not be silent.

I needed to change my attitude.  I needed to remember who I am.

This is not what Jesus died on the cross for.

Brothers and sisters, we know what hate can do.

So, my question to you is:  What can love do?

Love reminds us that God is still all powerful.  He is the God of Charlottesville, and He will make good from that evil.  Over the next few weeks, we will hear testimony of His faithfulness.  We will hear stories that will topple the evil and hatred that happened there.

Love reminds us to lift our shoulders, stop shaking our heads, hug each other, and reach out.  We are not alone, we are not separated.  Christ makes us one body.

Love reminds us that good triumphs over evil.

Love reminds us that GOD always triumphs.

 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.  

1 Corinthians 13:13