“You must not murder” (Exodus 20:13)
There is a school in our community that is hurting. There seems to be a rush of suicides among teenagers this past year. The families, students, teachers, and everyone else are left behind from the events not knowing truly why and hurting from the pain. I remember being a teenager and how very difficult life was sometimes but, more important, how “big” everything was. A break-up wasn’t just a break-up, it was the end of the world. Someone who was bullying you wasn’t just a jerk, he or she was ruining your life and you believed what they were saying. And grades weren’t just grades, they were your keys to going to the game Friday night or to your best friend’s party. Everything seems to be exploded in high school but I truly wish there would have been a way to reach out to the kids to let them know that it’s okay to feel the way they do but to keep on going.
I wasn’t listening to radio program yesterday and a guy was on there talking about how our government should be governed by the Bible. There are so many problems with that statement that I won’t address but there is something to remember: in the Old Testament we stoned sinners of adultery, thievery, sexual immorality, etc. In the New Testament Jesus reminded us of how much God detests sins but loves His people. God hates sin so much that He turned away from Jesus as He hung on the cross, yet He loved of enough to sacrifice His only Son so He could spend an eternity with His children! There is nothing that you have done, nothing that these high school kids who have killed themselves could have done, that would have made God not love you or them. God loves the sinner, hates the sin.
It’s a good lesson to remember as we see the people in our life fail or succeed. It’s a good lesson to remember as the ones we love make terrible choice. It’s a good lesson when we see the youth acting like idiots, the same way we did, and as we try to reach across that age barrier to guide them and protect them. I cannot say it enough: God hates the sin, loves the sinner. He even loves Lucifer. What could you, or anyone do, that could possibly top that? God hates the sin, loves the sinner and remember this community in your prayers and thoughts….they need it.
“Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, ‘I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.”” (John 8:12)
