Small things and every day deeds.

At this point, we have no shortage of material for "responding to a mass shooting" or "responding to natural disaster". I had a brief thought run through my head of just recycling one of those and adding a few editorial comments for context. But that didn't sit right so...here we are with another, "How do I respond to a mass shooting?" post. In truth, I wasn't even sure I wanted to say anything. The last thing the world needs now is more noise. And personally, I'm pretty tired of it all. The incessant and heavy weight of the demands for my moral excellence and my attention just feel crushing, ya know?

So, I'm sitting right now in the coffee shop in Gray...the girls are here playing and I'm about to head with them to the gym. Summer schedule is a little different from school year schedule but we get the job done. They're a constant source of encouragement to me in ways they'll never probably know this side of Heaven. Of course, that's what makes tragedies like school shootings all the worse...there are parents who will not get the gift of holding their kids this morning. And it's heartbreaking.

All of which tends to lead us to a big question when faced with tragedy..."Why does God allow stuff like this to happen?" A cursory glance at the scriptures and our own lived experience ought to tell us that it utterly breaks God's heart. I've written about this a lot elsewhere, but it always bears repeating...like the importance of telling the people in your life that you love them regularly. Sometimes we need to hear it over and over again.

So, we might just as easily ask, "Why do we allow stuff like this to happen?" Why are we so callously numb to gun violence? Why are we so quick to capitalize on crisis to push our own agendas and profit from our platforms? And just so I can mildly offend all political perspectives today, why are we so quick to jump to a defense of our "rights" - whether it be something in the last news cycle like abortion or the current news cycle like background checks and high-capacity magazines?

The truth is, there is a need for political action on a broad number of fronts (about a lot of different issues) because there is no lack of moral baseness in our society. As creatures, we need laws to keep us somewhat honest. And I say "somewhat" because we constantly hunt for the line, sidle up against it, and then do everything we can without crossing. And the other truth is that most of us don't need to offer any political commentary...today or, possibly, any day. I always hesitate at this point, because there is a fine line between two extremes: political activism and political idolatry on the one hand; political ambivalence and lack of civic responsibility on the other. If you push back at this suggestion, I think you've probably got a fair point. It wouldn't be the first time (nor shall it be the last) that I've been accused of quietism.

The most political thing I'll say today is this: we have to acknowledge that the zeitgeist determines the larger discourse through social media. Offering anything in that space is...treacherous. But even worse, to simply take to social media to "vent" or "say your peace" draws us into the danger of "activism" without action. And let's be honest, shall we? That doesn't actually change anything.

So, for those of you who may be asking, "How can I respond to a mass shooting in Texas?" I'd offer this word from CS Lewis: "He who converts his neighbor has performed the most practical Christian-political act of all." The digital world we live in incentivizes us to talk big, but I'd encourage you to instead act small. Rather than getting in arguments online, pay Spirit-led, Christ-centered attention to the people in your daily life - family, friends, co-workers.

Any instinct in us to balk at this point and say, "That's not practical!" needs to be admonished for the unbelief that it is. This isn't about a religious program or bolstering numbers or "growing the church" but about pointing people to the only one who can show us how to be properly human. The more I follow Jesus, the more I realize he's the only hope we've got. Pointing people to Jesus, living the scriptures, praying with genuine sincerity, and interacting with God and living on mission with him...this stuff changes generations in ways that laws never really can. As important as legislative reform is for any number of issues, we can't forget that it is the human heart that must be changed. And that always starts small.

To (predictably) quote one of my favorites, JRR Tolkien, "Some believe that it is only great power that can hold evil in check, but that is not what I've found. I found it is the small things, every day deeds by ordinary folk that keeps the darkness at bay."

Small things. Every day deeds. Ordinary folk. This is the way of God's Kingdom. The Gospel dignifies the ordinary. And that is the gift that you have to give to the world today. Your life, lived with intention and purpose and love. So today, be kind to your neighbors. Find a way to do something small for a few people in your every day life. If you've got kids or grandkids or nieces or nephews in your world, pay some special attention to them today. Give that friend a call. Do an intentional act of kindness for a friend or a stranger.

This is already a lot longer than I intended it to be. So I'll land the plane with two ancient prayers that have been helpful for me the last two days. First, praying the Lord's Prayer with my kids is such a great reminder of God's Love, Grace, and the in-breaking Kingdom coming on Earth as it is in Heaven. Second, there's a lot of Psalms that deal honestly with prayer in challenging or ambiguous circumstances. For me, Psalm 37 was a part of my daily prayer today and it seemed to help me put words to my feelings. I'll include the text below my "PS's" today.

Praying for you this week,

Steve

PS - We're still looking for donations to support our Camp Bays Mountain scholarship fund! So, if you're able, I'd love for you to consider donating to our scholarship fund for campers today!

PPS - Our YouTube videos this week. were about how to live the Bible...I think that's pretty useful for us to think through in the wake of national crises. So, I'd encourage you to check them out when you have some time!

----------------------------------

Psalm 37:1–40 (NIV)

1 Do not fret because of those who are evil

or be envious of those who do wrong;

2 for like the grass they will soon wither,

like green plants they will soon die away.

3 Trust in the Lord and do good;

dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.

4 Take delight in the Lord,

and he will give you the desires of your heart.

5 Commit your way to the Lord;

trust in him and he will do this:

6 He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn,

your vindication like the noonday sun.

7 Be still before the Lord

and wait patiently for him;

do not fret when people succeed in their ways,

when they carry out their wicked schemes.

8 Refrain from anger and turn from wrath;

do not fret—it leads only to evil.

9 For those who are evil will be destroyed,

but those who hope in the Lord will inherit the land.

10 A little while, and the wicked will be no more;

though you look for them, they will not be found.

11 But the meek will inherit the land

and enjoy peace and prosperity.

12 The wicked plot against the righteous

and gnash their teeth at them;

13 but the Lord laughs at the wicked,

for he knows their day is coming.

14 The wicked draw the sword

and bend the bow

to bring down the poor and needy,

to slay those whose ways are upright.

15 But their swords will pierce their own hearts,

and their bows will be broken.

16 Better the little that the righteous have

than the wealth of many wicked;

17 for the power of the wicked will be broken,

but the Lord upholds the righteous.

18 The blameless spend their days under the Lord’s care,

and their inheritance will endure forever.

19 In times of disaster they will not wither;

in days of famine they will enjoy plenty.

20 But the wicked will perish:

Though the Lord’s enemies are like the flowers of the field,

they will be consumed, they will go up in smoke.

21 The wicked borrow and do not repay,

but the righteous give generously;

22 those the Lord blesses will inherit the land,

but those he curses will be destroyed.

23 The Lord makes firm the steps

of the one who delights in him;

24 though he may stumble, he will not fall,

for the Lord upholds him with his hand.

25 I was young and now I am old,

yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken

or their children begging bread.

26 They are always generous and lend freely;

their children will be a blessing.

27 Turn from evil and do good;

then you will dwell in the land forever.

28 For the Lord loves the just

and will not forsake his faithful ones.

Wrongdoers will be completely destroyed;

the offspring of the wicked will perish.

29 The righteous will inherit the land

and dwell in it forever.

30 The mouths of the righteous utter wisdom,

and their tongues speak what is just.

31 The law of their God is in their hearts;

their feet do not slip.

32 The wicked lie in wait for the righteous,

intent on putting them to death;

33 but the Lord will not leave them in the power of the wicked

or let them be condemned when brought to trial.

34 Hope in the Lord

and keep his way.

He will exalt you to inherit the land;

when the wicked are destroyed, you will see it.

35 I have seen a wicked and ruthless man

flourishing like a luxuriant native tree,

36 but he soon passed away and was no more;

though I looked for him, he could not be found.

37 Consider the blameless, observe the upright;

a future awaits those who seek peace.

38 But all sinners will be destroyed;

there will be no future for the wicked.

39 The salvation of the righteous comes from the Lord;

he is their stronghold in time of trouble.

40 The Lord helps them and delivers them;

he delivers them from the wicked and saves them,

because they take refuge in him.