Therefore rid yourselves of all sordidness and rank growth of wickedness, and welcome with meekness the implanted word that has the power to save your souls. James 1:21 NRSV (New Revised Standard Version). Balance.

The Book of Judges ends in Judges 21 with these words: In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as they saw fit. v. 25.

Reading this final chapter brings to mind mob rule. Blind and senseless. Giving vows without thinking, from that killing every male and female not a virgin in yet another town to make up for a vow done in ignorance of God so a tribal line could continue.

Last night watching the news of yet another senseless killing of children and adults at yet another school….the image I can’t get out of my mind? A little girl, frightened to death, sitting alone on a seat in a bus that will take her away from the place of murder of innocents to her parents. Her hand on the window, her face in agony of fear. A child who now knows there is no safety in this world.

How do we make sense of great harm being done? Then and now?

Last night we watched the movie The Whale with Brandon Fraser, whom we loved to watch in The Mummy movies. It was a difficult movie to watch and for his performance Brandon Fraser won the Oscar. One of the many things that so greatly disturbed me was the misconception about God by the missionary and by the other people impacted by the teachings of a church that did not know God. Great harm was done in the “name of God”. Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he. Proverbs 29:18 KJV. There wasn’t a lot of happiness in the hearts of the characters in this movie. There was no vision of God’s love that heals hearts broken and shattered by men.

I was in sorrow this morning and I took that to God. He was in sorrow with me. How could He not be? I am weary, God, but I can prevail. Surely I am only a brute, not a man; I do not have human understanding. I have not learned wisdom, nor have I attained the knowledge of the Holy One. Who has gone up to heaven and come down? Whose hands have gathered up the wind? Who has wrapped up the waters in a cloak? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is his name, and what is the name of his son? Surely you know? Every word of God is flawless; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him. Do not add to his words, or he will rebuke you and prove you a liar. Proverbs 30:1-6.

So many people in this world have been deeply hurt and wounded and cause great harm. The movie was based upon the real life experiences of a gay man shunned by his church as he searched for faith understanding. That was just a movie but the experiences were lived and are lived; and the person who killed innocent children and adults was all too horribly real. The suffering of the people in Judges 21 was all too real.

Where do I go when I am in great sorrow from this world? To Whom do I turn? Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. Matthew 11:28-30.

If God so loves us, can we not learn from Him? Balance. Trust Him who loves those He created. Stop hating and darkness recedes. Therefore rid yourselves of all sordidness and rank growth of wickedness, and welcome with meekness the implanted word that has the power to save your souls. He’s talking to each person individually because that’s where healing begins. Not in a mob but in a heart, a single heart, turned to Him for understanding. One on one…it’s personal and it’s healing in great love in Him who is Love.