On last Sunday’s Meet the Press program, there was much
discussion of the Boston bombings and the response to them both in Boston, around
the country and throughout the world. Following comments about unity and the
resilience of the American people, Tom Brokaw wanted to take a larger vantage
point, one calling for some reflection and examination.
“What I see is an
opportunity for the American citizens to get involved in trying to do something
about the culture of violence that has become such a large part of our lives. .
. This is the time for us to have that
debate. Here we are in the 21st
century, the most advanced nation in the world, and as I said earlier this
week, we have third-world vulnerabilities almost everywhere we go.”
This reminded me of another round
table discussion in January, 2011, and what I wrote after watching it:
“Following the
shootings in Arizona, much has been said about who or what is wrong or right
and what can be done to make America safer, kinder, better. But surprisingly, it was on Meet the Press, a Sunday morning news show, that a columnist presented our
need to recognize sin.
As
the discussion considered how America has gotten off track with acrimony and finger pointing among other things,
David Brooks described a more fundamental cause. ‘It’s sinfulness . . . an awareness of how
sinned . . .’ and weak we are. ‘We’ve
had a culture which has downplayed sin and therefore people think, ‘I—my way’s
the right way . . .’ and so that’s a kind of deep problem to get over.’ Deep, indeed.
The
show panelists did not go on to call people to repent before God, but they did
address the necessary beginning of a powerful, heart and life transforming
repentance—the revelation that we are sinful, that each one of us, no matter
how brilliant, knowledgeable or experienced, stands on level ground with all others
as sinners. . .
True humility not
only sees this need for God’s grace, but also realizes our continued need for
God. Each and every day has to be fueled
with his wisdom, power and love. True
humility draws us ever nearer to God and reminds us that we don’t live in a
world full of us and thems, our
designated grouping always being the right one. . .”
Despite the
differences between Boston in 2013, Newtown in 2012, and Tucson in 2011, there are
glaring similarities: the horror of such
violent loss of life, the intense grief of many families and communities, the availability of
fire power, and the continued resistance of people and legislators to work
together to make America safer and better.
The end of the article I wrote after Tucson, still applies today.
“Arizona Sheriff Clarence Dupnik, both praised
and criticized, suggested that as a country, ‘we do a little soul searching.’ With the monumental problems that face us
today, let us heed these calls to examine ourselves, to not ‘be overcome with
evil,’ but ‘to overcome evil with good’ (Rom. 12:21) as God’s grace and power enable
us to.”
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