Just down the highway from my home a gunman murdered a reporter and a cameraman on live TV yesterday. Not only did he murder them live on air, he filmed himself doing it and posted it to social media. This murderer took his moment of infamy to complain he wasn’t treated well at work while running from the police. 15 minutes from my house the police identified his car and while pursuing him, the murderous coward committed suicide.
In the pain strewn wake of these events, while the bodies of the slain were not yet cold, politicians took to the airwaves to use the event to further their political talking points. “We need more gun control.” “We need more mental health services.” “We need more…” In every case the solutions offered do not address the core issue of what happened. Every time these heinous events occur, politicians whiff at addressing the real issue involved. Controlling behavior doesn’t fix a person.
The nation will argue and debate today and in the coming weeks over why this happened. Newspapers are putting still images of from the murder on their front page to attract viewers to their carnival of the macabre. They’re showing they have no objectivity but instead desire more readers to sell advertising. Talking heads will argue the same partisan talking points. They’ll show outrage and fear, and maybe they’ll actually feel it.
The nation will not mourn its present state. We shrug at death and move on to the next thing to medicate us with happiness. Sure, conversations about why things are falling apart occur, yet I have as many conversations with people who don’t feel that way and give a shrug at current events as they mentally move on.
The problem with us is that we’re evil.
The problem with our nation is that we’re evil.
The murderer yesterday did what he did because he’s evil.
Unless and until we come face to face with these facts, we will continue to pour water on a grease fire. Our nation, our people, our friends and coworkers, the average person on the street, needs the Gospel. Behavior modification and conformity only works for so long before the nature of mankind rebels and does what it desires to do. We cannot change hearts and minds. Jesus can. Jesus does.
This is not an either/or proposition of the Gospel or the common graces of law, medical care, and mental health. This is calling sin what it is, evil, and restating there is only one remedy for sin, Jesus Christ.
Do you want to see everything change? Do you want to see a tangible difference in your community? Share the gospel. With people. Use words. God will regenerate hearts and bring people out of darkness into his marvelous light. God will bring the only renewal and revival that lasts. God will take our broken vessels and mend them for his glory.
Do you believe it? Do you really believe he can do that?
Friends, let’s start living like it. You have the only hope of the world. You have eternal joy in Jesus Christ. You have it. It’s time to share it.
