Since Monday, there have been so many stories on the news about the backlash of the decision made in Ferguson. I have refrained from making any comments because everyone has been so angry and I really didn't want to deal with offending someone. Tonight a wonderful woman sent me a link to an NFL football players Facebook post. He is an African American male and I was interested to see his perspective. As I read I began to agree with a lot of what he was saying.
He first talked about all of the different problems surrounding this case and its outcome. He talked about being embarrassed about the looting and the violence that followed this case. First of all, from my understanding the whole case was about responses to violent acts. Now, many of those who are protesting this outcome are being more violent than those involved in the case. I have been so frustrated with all of the stories on the news. As my little sisters walk into the room, the first thing that they see on the news are people looting stores and burning them to the ground, or dragging them from car tires and climbing on police cruisers.
We have used it as a teaching tool, letting them know that nothing good comes from acting on your anger through violence. I feel so awful for those business owners who had their livelihood ruined because people were angry. Those owners had nothing to do with the case, or the judge or anyone involved, they were people just like us trying to make it through to enjoy thanksgiving. They didn't force anyone to pull the trigger, they weren't there to beat up the police officer. They were in their stores, or their restaurants working hard to make a living and put food on the table.
People are so quick to do horrible things. They have no respect for the law or for those they claim to be rioting for. Their claim is that the boy who was killed was innocent, and that the act of the officer was violent, and yet here they are setting bad examples for all those kids who happen to look at the TV. Parents have taught their kids to not act on their anger and to never hurt others. Then you have these adults stealing and burning things. I have wanted to know why. I wanted to know what the point of all of this was.
This NFL player remind me that I already knew the answer. The answer is sin. That's why people are looting, that's why they are hurting people and burning stores and restaurants to the ground. Each and every one of them are sinners. Just as we are sinners. We act on anger and we act in rage. We are told that we can be angry but we must not act on that anger.
All of this madness stems from the beginning. From the time of Adam and Eve when Eve took that apple and changed us forever. When will it end? Well the truth is it won't, not while we are here, not while we are sinners among sinners. The only one who can end this is God. The only way we will end this awfulness is through our savior.
So next time you are like me, and watching things go bad in the news or in your life, and the next time that you are wondering when this is going to end, remember this, the answer is sin. Sin is in this world, and we sinners are in this world. Sin will not go away, but it will not be this way forever, there is truth and there is light and there is hope in the Gospel and through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior, so have hope and keeping praying because this isn't the end.
