Cathy and I live in a very
quiet neighborhood that was built around 1912 and crime is really very low. A
recent television reporter referred to it as being like “Mayberry RFD”. Some
people consider it to be “One of the best kept secrets” of St. Paul, Minnesota.
So it came as a great
surprise that there were two shootings in our neighborhood recently. The first
was a black bear that was shot so that wouldn’t hurt anyone after he had
wandered from the banks of the Mississippi River up into our residential neighborhood.
Instead of thanking
the police office for protecting the city, some people complained that the
officer should have driven back to the police station (two miles away) and gotten
a tranquilizer gun so that the bear would have still been alive. I should note that no one stepped forward
and offered to hold the bear so that the officer could go retrieve a different
gun.
The second shooting was
a police officer who was shot as he conducted a routine traffic stop in the
middle of a bright sunny day. The man in the car shot the police officer and
then drove away leaving him left to die in the street. Witnesses describe how
people passing by stopped to try to save the officer even though they knew that
he was already almost dead.
Following the
shooting there was an eight hour manhunt looking for the suspect who eventually
shot (again) at police officers who (this time) returned fire striking the
suspect several times. Great effort was spent by the police officers (who were
shot at) to save the suspect. Sirens blared as he was rushed by ambulance to a
local hospital where an awaiting surgical team rushed to save the suspect’s life.
Pondering the event, I’m
amazed at how much effort is put into trying save a single life. This included
the police officer, the suspect, and if some had their way, yes, even the black
bear.
I am amazed at the
manpower and the equipment and how it seems as though the budget is thrown out
the window even when it is the life of someone who was shot in a criminal
activity or in a terrible accident as they tried to flee the police.
I am amazed at how
reporters flock to the scene and want the latest update as though they were the
only person in the world. Why do they even notice? Is saving the life of one
person really that significant?
With the population
of the world currently at over seven billion people, it is easy to feel as though
individually none of us are really significant. Easy to feel as though you
don’t really matter, as thought the world would go on spinning without you if
suddenly you disappeared.
It’s easy to feel as
though even God wouldn’t miss you if you were gone; after all, does He even
know that you exist?
In the Bible, King
David pondered this question as he considered the vastness of creation; the heavens,
the work of God’s fingers, the moon and the stars,
which God has ordained… (Psalm 8:3)
David asked God;
“What is man that You are mindful of him,
And the son of man that You visit him?
For You have made him a little lower than the angels,
And You have crowned him with glory and honor.” (Psalm 8:4)
And the son of man that You visit him?
For You have made him a little lower than the angels,
And You have crowned him with glory and honor.” (Psalm 8:4)
In other words; “Why
do You even Notice?” or “Why do You even care?
He cares because He made you
and I and we belong to Him. Every life is
precious to Him because even though we may not act like it, we are all made in
His image and He loves and cares about you deeply!
Even if your emotional
connection with Him isn’t always there, God is still near and He notices
you!.
Jesus said;
“Are not five sparrows sold for two copper coins? And not one of them is forgotten
before God. But
the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of
more value than many sparrows.” (Luke 12:6-7 NKJV)
Did you
catch that; the very hairs of your head are all numbered! Yes,
He notices us! He really cares and sent
Jesus to be the mediator between Him and you!
Where do you start? Psalm 34
tells us that God’s ears are attentive to our cry for help. Start by praying a prayer that goes something
like: “God, I’m taking a step toward you. Please speak to me. I need to know
that are mindful of me. I need to know why even notice me. I am waiting for
Your reply”
He will come to you; I
guarantee it; because of Jesus!
When I was a missionary in Brazil, I had to shield my sons' eyes as we were existing the bus we were on. The bus system is much like the "Green Line" on University Avenue, having their own path that runs center of the street, divided by a center walk path and barricades on each side of the two lane centerpiece from the other traffic. See, what had happened was an elderly woman was hit by one of the buses and was laid on the side of the bus path, no one caring for her body, no one seeing that her dignity remained intact. Buses continued to stop and go every 3 minutes just feet from where she lay, so as to keep the process of moving people from one location to another undisturbed. It was obvious that she had been dead quite a while already, as people passed by her without a blink in their eye. Though I wanted to assist, the person who was with us told me not to, that the police would take care of the body when it becomes convenient. I was horrified! When it becomes convenient? See, it is against their law to touch a body until the police is there, and they were taking their time to get there. Eventually, they did come, removed her body, and tracked down the driver of the bus who hit her. Six hours she laid on the side of the bus pass in over 110 degree heat; a very sad day for the humanity of the people. I only comment about this because I believe we are heading in that way of desensitizing our compassion as we move further away from the moral values we had when we were a Christian/Judeo nation to a secular/self-seeking society. Thank you for your weekly input, they are food for thought AND provide a source to keep us human.
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