I woke up this morning to hear again the news of a person
randomly shooting others. It is easy to
disconnect from this. Resist this
temptation!
Why? It is usually the first question when life
just doesn’t make sense. What would a
person be thinking to carry out such random violence? Does life become that blurred? What kind of twisted passion or allegiance
would be the motivation for this?
Who? There has to be someone to blame for
this. Actions like this cannot remain
blameless. Someone must be held
accountable for it. The fingers begin
to point everywhere---family, friends, religion, and anything else in
reach. Remember in the Garden of Eden
the first response of Adam was to point to Eve.
I chuckle every time I read it.
Not only is Eve blamed but God is her cohort. “The woman YOU gave me…” Adam created the first concept of no fault
that is used in our world today.
The other part of who is
coming to know those who are innocent victims.
They were in the wrong place or space at the wrong time. How sad!
There is a part of us that realizes that all of us are in a sense
vulnerable. We all can be in the wrong
space at the wrong time and have great consequences.
So what is the answer for us
as Christians? The presence of God is
our consolation. One of the verses that
gives me great comfort is found in the 14th chapter of John. Jesus says to his disciples, “I will not
leave you as an orphan.” For me it is
the realization that I will always have family.
God is my present parent. God’s
family is MY family.
As a young boy there were so
many things I did not understand. I did
not understand why adults did what they did.
I did not understand many things that happen to me and around me. The comfort in all of this was that I was
surrounded by an environment and culture of family. First United Methodist in Minden gave me
family. The Louisiana Annual Conference
and Ruston District Youth ministries showed me family. The community of Minden held me tightly
within a concept of family. And then my
own family gave me so much.
Maybe this is the gift of
modern technology and media has given us.
We are able to live in a larger concept of family. Maybe this is the gift we have to give to the
world when life does not make sense.
The gift is the presence of family.
You are not alone. I will not leave you as an orphan!
Pray for me as I pray for you.
In the Master’s name,
Rev. Dr. M. Jack O’Dell
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