More Unintended Consequences

Clearly the consequences of our actions is not always foreseeable:
– Sometimes harmless pranks go horribly wrong
– Oversights have lead to industrial accidents
– Forgotten oil plugs destroy car engines

On a more personal level, sometimes…
– Friendly banter is misunderstood as flirting
– Couples breakup when they want nothing but
– Partyers having fun get alcohol poisoning
– People try meth and become addicts
– Teens have sex and become unintended parents
– Parents try to build a relationship with their kids and it seems to backfire

Even More Unintended Consequences

Unintended Consequences

The German weekly Der Spiegel has a report about the unintended consequences of child labor laws in one Pakistani city known for producing soccer balls.

Apparently children were frequently employed in the factories, until child labor “advocates” in the West forced companies like Nike and Adidas to ensure that their suppliers weren’t employing children. But what happened to the kids? Surely after they were freed from their toiling in the factories they went to school and now have well-paying office jobs, right?

People do what they do because somehow, some way, their hopelessness craves for hope.

Someone bombed the Boston Marathon Monday. Someone, somehow found some level of hope in creating horror for someone else.

That grain of truth is what they grasp onto and that allows them to justify their choices.

“None of us,” wrote Christopher Wright, ” needs to be scratched very deep to uncover the darker depths of our worst desires and the evil action any of us is capable of, if pushed.” Moreover, while we are not the overt cause of others’ suffering we cannot escape it’s consequences. 1

As he hung on the cross Jesus Christ quoted Psalm 22: Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” which means “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?”

God asked God, “Where are you God?”

As we watch the news, view the video footage, listen to the radio hosts rant, discuss the events with others and ask our questions of God, it’s important to remember we are NOT alone. Pain and painful events make us ask the hard questions when life goes very, very wrong.

A warning: This post may contain hard things to read

Today’s tragic events in Boston bring many questions to my mind.
– Who’s hurt?
– Who’s helping?
– Who’s responsible?
– Who’s gonna capture the guilty?

And, inevitably, we cry out: Where is God?

Christians: Unite To Pray

Let’s not let partisan politics separate us from one another and from God.

Let’s pray, and…

When we pray let’s remember that real power in this world — the power to save, to transform, to change — ultimately rests not in political parties or presidents or protests but in the life, the death, and the resurrection of Jesus.

When we pray let’s remember that, through the Holy Spirit, this power dwells within otherwise ordinary people who continue the mission of Jesus: preaching good news to the poor, freeing the captives, giving sight to the blind, releasing the oppressed, and proclaiming the year of the Lord’s favor (Luke 4:16-21).

I can’t shake how captivated I am by this song.

It’s a call to remember how important it is to be mindful how needy we as: as individuals and as a society.

This visualization of Pray Where You Are uploaded to YouTube by Bill Peterson really captures the song’s themes well.

As our country prepares for our election I feel it’s even more important to pray for our nation than I do most days.

Pray Where You Are by Lost Dogs

“If you support _____ immediately delete me.”

That was posted on Facebook, tweeted and repeated passionately in the last few weeks leading up to our national election.

It’s interesting how much anger and vitriol arises during election years.

I see it everywhere.

Even among comic book readers.

At the risk of alienating fans of other fans I’m only going to refer to two set of loyalists, the Batman and the Superman fans.

Recently I read a graphic novel called Trinity by Matt Wagner featuring Wonder Woman, Superman and Batman. In the Trinity there is a conversation between Wonder Woman and Superman about Batman.

Life is scary sometimes; scary, for all of us.

Like this little guy  ——————————————->

we all know how it feels to feel afraid, timid or fearful.

When we’re facing something that feels unsafe there are some keys to coping.  These keys help us to learn how to embrace our fears safely.  I ask, can I make it through this?

“God asks suffering people, “how can I comfort you? How great is your pain? … how can I heal your wounds, gaping as wide as the sea?” * Wounds, “gaping as wide as the sea.” Many of you know what that feels like. I’ve never talked with an honest person who didn’t have pain in her or his life.

Do not try to change the other person, the change starts with ourselves.

While writing this I feel many feelings.  Amy and I are at peace but conflicts have arisen in other areas of my life, unforeseen conflicts that leave me feeling wounded, bloodied, scared and scarred.  Realistically I cannot change anyone else.  In the midst of conflict I have to deal with myself.

Dealing with Conflicts

Suggestions:

1. Pray for wisdom to see situations clearly.
2. If you screw up, fess up.
3. Ask God for strength and discipline to change.
4. Stop sinning before something worse happens.
5. Ask others to help you stay on the right path.