HAPPY NEW YEAR !
Have a wonderful 2017 but I pray you keep in mind that life demands we find purpose in our living!
When a parent loses a precious child to senseless violence, nothing can stop the righteous ‘anger’ …. and that’s okay! We all live with anger to one degree or another. It’s how you manage your anger that’s important.
Last week I watched a program about Polly Klaas’ dad and how he started a foundation to help find missing children after his daughter was kidnapped and murdered in ’93. When a reporter asked how he dealt with the pain of his daughter’s murder Paul told her ‘my work is my therapy’. He’s a doctor by profession and has that heart for those who can’t protect themselves. His group knows the ‘ins’ and ‘outs’ of working with the police, press, searches …. they’re an awesome help to hurting loved ones.
John Walsh of the former America’s Most Wanted has poured his pain into programs dealing with fighting crime. His new show, Justice Network, deals with true crime stories, investigation and forensic technology but the show also shares about missing children, Most Wanted criminals. John’s son Adam was kidnapped & murdered like Polly was, and it’s heart wrenching to hear him describe what happened to his little one and why he pushes so fervently to bring resolution to other crimes.
No person or family likes being violated in any realm. No one likes having their most personal pain shared in the news …. when your child is murdered it’s so public and humiliating or whatever! But it’s very liberating when you can resist the urge to fear, hate or blame. It’s great to fight back the hold that murder or death has on you, or bring to light the reasons that allowed the crime to even happen! No one wishes to be chained by crime, evil! Most of us wish to help others by sharing our own struggles.
In 2017 may you find what irks your soul, the thing that makes you feel righteously angry, so you can put your love for justice into action. Don’t let it be just the leaders getting mad, or the police arresting a gang member. Not all people have this problem about being real, dealing with injustice. Jesus didn’t fear telling someone they were a ‘viper’, ‘hypocrite’. He tipped over money tables where people were being robbed, where businessmen were making a mockery of Temple offerings. He saw injustice and didn’t stay silent in fear of others, or to avoid a confrontation.
We live in a selfish culture, I even see it in myself, but we can make little strides against injustice in the ongoing quiet, personal stuff we do. Our declarations won’t usually be loud or public.
We need to get things straight in our country about what is redemptive and what is just useless talk. The precious little boy above left reminds me to be true to his memory and work for justice. Happy New Year and remember ….
….. “Be angry, but do not sin” Jesus