Four ideas, that seemingly are unrelated, are the basis for my blog today. (1.) Our world has many forms of evil in it, and many who seek to destroy everything that is good. (2.) Tears are God’s way of cleansing our eyes so that we might be more Christ-like. (3.) Hatred is renewed through dehumanization and the idea that the “other” is somehow to blame for the world’s problems. (4.) We need to trust our journey, even when we do not know where God is leading us.
I see many people putting themselves before the needs of others. Some leaders think it is wonderful to be a dictator, not having to abide by laws or being held accountable for their selfish acts. Wars, greed, violence, hatred, vitriol, and many other things pervade over love, honesty, the truth, compassion, and integrity. God gives us free will so that we can stand up against those who would take our rights, for to do nothing is to be complicit. For those who understand that the only way to overcome evil is with love, love of God, love of family, and love of country, I offer Proverbs 4: 14-19 (KJV).
“Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men. Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away. For they seek not, except they have done mischief; and their sleep is taken away, unless they cause some to fall. For they eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of violence. But the path of the just is as the shining light that shineth unto the perfect day.”
All that hate does is to stir up strife and chaos. Love covers all sins, and it makes the heart yearn for God’s blessings. As a nation, America needs someone to redeem its guilt. We need Jesus Christ to come into our hearts and guide us through the traumas we are now facing.
The tears we shed during traumas and difficulties make us more appreciative of people from all walks of life and all ages. We realize our connection to others as we share our scars; the scars become bridges that bind us together. Jesus’ scars from the cross are our bridges to God. The devil wants us to be alone so that he can destroy us and the bridges we need to come together. Tears and scars can be what unite us and make us ready to move on to help those in need. If, however, we are a person who builds walls and not bridges, then we are not Christians.
I believe that most of us want to leave a legacy for those who have loved us, one that tells them how much they meant to us. Hatred and anger never achieve anything, but pain leaves those we love questioning what they did to be recipients of such negativity. When we pass, our absence affects the ways our loved ones approach life and how they treat the world that God lovingly created for us. We do not vanish entirely until the last person who remembers us has passed away. I know now that I am my “mother’s daughter;” everything I do is grounded in her teachings and the way she sought to be “Christ-like.” My father’s ability to transform Biblical stories into recognizable current issues transformed me into the writer I am today. The Word became flesh through him, and my words have given people hope for a better future.
Our journeys can be loud and exciting, but they can also be soft and full of passion. For me, it is in the quiet that I find God. Courage needs trust to exist. If we do not trust the journey, we cannot be brave enough to come to the end of that journey. Bravery and trust go hand in hand when we place Christ at the center of our time here on earth. We cannot see what the future will bring, but we can feel how God’s hands are softly guiding our hands and our feet. When we ask for God’s help in our lives, the journeys become more filled with abundance and love.
What do evil, tears, hatred, and journeys have in common? They are all parts of us that we can either choose to fight to bring peace and hope into the world or we can choose to stand still and let the world conquer us. Above all, God’s love is the only path to His light, way, and life. I want to leave a legacy of no regrets, one filled with light, hope, love, peace, and grace. By Christ’s unconditional love on the cross, I am forgiven, and my journey is easy to walk.
Anna Hartt
