After a time in the dirt-grind
and the stone’s bruise
on the heel
and on the face, and the power drains
from the dragging,
tiring, weary pull of chains
you seem born to wear forever
and wear you down,
then will the King
speak kindly from His high
and lofty place.
He will look you in the face,
and set you in your own high place, and you, at the King’s table eat
forever at the Mercy Seat, and see that Face,
that place,
is Grace.
Hope it never happens
Well, I have to confess: I just do not like law enforcement. It has nothing to do with “authority” (more on that later); it has everything to do with those who abuse their position–and the silence of those who do not. “The only thing necessary for evil men to prosper is for good men to do nothing.” Is not silence complicity? Of course it is, and that makes even “good” cops party to the deeds of the bad.
Further, cops can commit offenses which would garner ordinary citizens jail time and either be simply suspended or (rarely, it seems) fired. They are NEVER held to the “higher” standards their bosses talk about. On the contrary, it seems that if you are a hell bent psychopath who wants to get by with near impunity, law enforcement is the way to go!
We need policing. Society cannot prosper with lawlessness unchecked. But, it would behoove us to address the question “Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?” seriously and apolitically. The guards CANNOT guard the guards. That is worse than the fox guarding the he house; it is the fox guarding the foxes.
The recent humanitarian crisis on our southern border has reminded me of several things in scripture: the way aliens were to be treated in Israel; the treatment of the poor, the widow, and the orphan; the Good Samaritan; the definition of “true religion” in James; I could go on and on, but one thing is perfectly clear: the treatment of those souls arriving here, especially the children, is despicable. Rage against the president, rage against Congress—heck, rage against God if you want to, but to spit and scream and spew such vile, hateful, and cruel venom upon CHILDREN who don’t know illegal from from there next drink of water is about as indefensible and un-Christlike as anything I can think of. I wonder how many of these protesters will return to fine homes with two or three cars in the garage, good meals, safe schools, neighborhoods, and supermarkets; who will throw away enough food and clothing to keep these children in “high cotton” for months, maybe years; and who will attend luxurious mega-churches with the budgets of small countries on Sunday mornings.
I recall a story in the Bible about a hungry multitude. Perhaps you have heard it? It involved some 5000 men, plus many more women and children. It had gotten late, and the disciples, concerned citizens that they were, suggested to Jesus that he “send the crowds away, so they can go into the villages (and go on home, too, I imagine-JH) and buy themselves some food” (Matthew 14:15). Jesus, being the fine conservative Republican that he was, agreed, had some carts brought in, loaded them up, and sent them back where they came from.
Right?
No, of course not. You know what happened. He turned a meal of a few loaves of bread and some fish into a buffet to end all buffets! He made Ryan’s and Golden Corral look like a pauper’s meal! In fact, there was food enough left over to feed the disciples and whoever was with them.
People who criticize the “illegals” always ask: “Well, what can we do? We don’t have the money to take care of our own people, much less them? And besides, they’re not even supposed to be here!” Since I have no truck with unbelievers–as much as I love and pray for them–I would ask only the Christian, “How big is your Jesus? Does he have a solution? Even if you don’t know what it is, does he have one? And if he were to reveal it to you, would you follow it? Would he welcome, feed, house, clothe and minister to them? Or would he turn them away? Something tells me that a Jesus who can turn a few pounds of food into a huge banquet could handle this situation. How ’bout we ask him to? 
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
I hope this is a fun and informative venture. I needed a place to express myself, and this seemed like a good idea (at the time…!). I do not presume to speak for God–except when I am doing so ex cathedra (heh…), but neither do I want to disappoint by misrepresenting or neutering his Word. Let’s have some fun. Send me stuff; argue with me; correct me; love me; and I will do the same.
Above all, I wish you all love, joy, and peace. There are still no laws against these things.
Blessings!
viewfromthebellybutton 