But maybe I need to explain why, even though I would gladly have put myself physically in harm's way to fight for these kids' lives, there is no way that a physical fight could possibly satisfy the requirements of this situation.
1. Physical violence could never possibly bring justice to this situation. Even if Adam Lanza, the gunman, had not killed himself already, do you really think that any amount of physical pain inflicted on him would make up for the amount of pain and death he unleashed on these people?
2. Physical violence could never possibly prevent this from happening again. No amount of police protection, SWAT teams, security forces, or concealed-carry private citizens could guarantee our protection or the protection of our children. Some people are just twisted, and evil on this level is going to happen. This kind of evil could be cut short by our physical fight against it. But it will never be entirely prevented. Even the fear of retaliative pain and death isn't enough to keep people from doing such despicable things.
And yet I find myself filled with violence. In my very soul. I have to fight. I cannot allow such evil to go unopposed.
What's the appropriate outlet for this violence? Do I go on a manhunt for people who could commit a crime like this, even though they haven't done so yet? No. Such an action would put me on the wrong side of justice. Do I tune in to police scanners and try to nail the bad guys myself, just so that I have someone in front of me who seems to deserve the pulverization I feel like unleashing? No. I could get the wrong guy, I could easily go overboard, and I would certainly end up having committed a crime myself. Besides, the chances that I would ever get to fight the kind of evil that has my blood boiling right now are slim to none. These options simply wouldn't satisfy the anger I feel.
So what? Am I left with no outlet for this frustration and turmoil? Is there no way that I, Matthew Harner, can personally pursue justice?
Actually, there is a way. And ironically, it's a peaceful way. Let me repeat that I would physically get involved in protecting children if I were in the kind of situation Sandy Hook elementary faced at the right time to respond helpfully. By "peaceful" I'm not saying that anyone should let a murderer go on a killing spree unchecked by physical opposition. But for me, the ultimate fight against this evil is physically peaceful.
Well, it's physically peaceful for me. It was very violent for Jesus Christ. He aggressively fought evil by His life and His teachings. He violently opposed evil and put His life on the line against it. But if He had decided that the best way to deal with evil was to physically eradicate its perpetrators, none of us would have survived. This is because we are all factories of evil. Perhaps we have not all committed the crimes that were committed today in Newtown, CT, but we have all harmed others in twisted ways.
Jesus fought our evil to the point of death. His death, though. Not ours. Not ours yet. Jesus permitted Himself to be crucified. And His death as the good and righteous Son - the Son not just of God, but of Man - paid the penalty for the sins of mankind. The just penalty for the worst evils the world has ever seen has already been paid. It was paid around 2000 years ago by Jesus Christ's death on the cross.
Honestly, though, that seems kind of unsatisfying. Evil has continued since then. We don't have to look further than today's headlines to see it in all its hateful, vicious ugliness. There's got to be more that can be done against evil, right?
Oh, yes. Indeed. There is more. Again, it rests in Jesus' hands.
Jesus didn't stay dead. He rose to life again. And He has offered all of us a choice. We can choose life or we can choose death. How so?
It's simple. Jesus urges us to choose life by owning up to our evil sins, agreeing that we deserve the death penalty for them, and asking His Father to forgive us and allow us to walk with Jesus instead. When the Father forgives us, He is not winking at our sins. When God forgives us, He looks at Jesus' physical death on the cross and He says, "Jesus' death is enough justice for your sins."
But we can also choose death. We can refuse to admit that we have done evil, refuse to admit that we deserve death, and oppose God. We do this even when we pretend that we can be "good enough" without giving our lives to Jesus. No one is completely righteous. No one is really pure. But we can pretend that we are and reject God's forgiveness and God's way of providing justice that protects us from death, the justice that protects through Jesus' death on the cross. To do this is to choose death, though, because there will then be only one place left for God's hand of justice to fall: on our own shoulders. And that justice will come when Jesus returns. Hell is real, and the death it holds is an eternal experience.
Ultimately God dishes out justice. All sins will be paid for. All evil will be snuffed out. Either Jesus paid the penalty for our evil when He died on the cross, or we will pay the penalty ourselves when He comes back. God's justice is complete. No evil escapes.
But I still feel like fighting. I'm still angry about evil. What can I do? How can I unleash the violence I feel welling up from within?
Here's how: I can fight evil by listening to Jesus, living for Jesus, and spreading Jesus' invitation to life. Jesus has issued a battle call:
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. -- Ephesians 6:10-13, NIV84Don't you dare to think that I'm caving and doing nothing. I am not talking about being satisfied with inaction. I am talking about answering Jesus' call to battle. I am talking about taking all of the passion and fury and wrath that today's evil has aroused in me and channeling it, by God's grace, in a direction that will actually FIGHT EVIL. Blow for blow. Round after round. Pulverizing the heck out of the "powers of this dark world" not merely strengthened and empowered by my own anger, but by the strength of our Lord's mighty power.
Brothers. MEN. If you want to FIGHT for real, let's follow Jesus into this fight together. Let's carry His truth. Let's do His good work. We're ready for anything because of His good news. Let's not be discouraged in the face of evil, no matter what comes, because we trust in Jesus and know that His justice will prevail. We're protected by His salvation, and we will battle all the distortions and lies that allow evil to go unchecked in this world with His sword - the Word of God. And whatever we do, let's be constantly praying to the One who holds justice in His hands.
Today was discouraging. But evil has not won the war, and it never will. Jesus is the Conqueror. So I'm not giving up. I'm more determined than ever to fight, and to fight back hard. Who's with me?
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