Pump the Brakes

A 37-year-old woman was tragically killed in Minneapolis yesterday.

And the lives of others there will never be the same again.

Period.

The news cycle is on overdrive. The videos have gone viral. And the politicians are doing what they do.

Deflecting, defending, downplaying. Reacting, reviling, rushing to judgment. Pointing fingers and pushing agendas.

All of which will only accomplish one (unhelpful and potentially destructive) thing:

Escalation.

(Brace for impact.)

Serious question... When did character assassination become sport? And for heaven's sake, why???

A mother is dead.

Children are orphaned.

Parents are grieving.

Law enforcement officers are receiving death threats.

And families are living in fear.

The last thing we need right now is pundits, party leaders and an entire population of keyboard warriors inciting and igniting, inflaming and blaming and shaming.

Seems that most everyone talking (or typing) today has already chosen their villain, their hero or heroine, and their storyline.

And drawn their conclusions.

Please...

Pump the breaks.

Pray.

(Pray for America and her people... all of them. All of us.)

Pause.

(Until every angle, every piece of evidence, every eyewitness account comes to light.)

And then...

Proceed with caution.

That's my aim in the wake of this terrible tragedy.

Because I'm not an eyewitness, investigator or forensic scientist in the matter. So I clearly can't access and analyze all the pertinent information and evidence. (Though I sure hope the FBI does.) I'm not a prosecutor or defense attorney, so I need not make an argument for or against the ICE agent. (Why do people feel compelled to do that… like it's their job?) I'm not a judge or jury member either, so my personal opinions have no bearing whatsoever on the outcome of these matters.

The people I've admired most in the current media melee are those who've called for a thorough, transparent, non-partisan investigation... and then promptly shut their mouths.

Respect.

The truth is, we've all got a lens through which we "see" the world, the news, our neighbors. Maybe it's time to admit that our lenses can be blurry, our view obstructed, our vision short-sighted... and that God is the only one who sees/hears/knows everything - including minds and motives.

God alone perceives the mercy, malice or indifference in a human heart.

And - make no mistake - he will judge one day. Impartially, painstakingly, perfectly.

(Hopefully, by no small miracle, the federal investigators and courts will too.)

While we wait, can we please show a little restraint? It's okay to form opinions... but must they all be shared? Immediately?

I've heard it said:

Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak and remove all doubt.

Good advice.

(Especially when it comes to politicized reports and polarizing posts.)

I didn't make a New Year's resolution this year but I'm praying God will help me with some self-improvement projects.

Here's one:

Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. ~ James 1:19 (NLT)

Another translation puts it this way:

Understand this, my beloved brothers and sisters. Let everyone be quick to hear [be a careful, thoughtful listener], slow to speak [a speaker of carefully chosen words and], slow to anger [patient, reflective, forgiving]; ~ James 1:19 (AMP)

God, help us all. (Especially me.)

As we watched the news last night (on 4 different channels) I was reminded again what's important to me... and what isn't. What I hope and pray for, what I want... and don't want.

I don't want politics to be the center of my life. I don't want my political views or someone else's to dictate who can and cannot be my friend. And I certainly don't want politicians to do my thinking for me. No, thank you.

I simply want the truth.

"You can't handle the truth." 

You may be right, Jack. But it's still what I want. It's what we should all want.

Because it's what God wants.

For all that is secret will eventually be brought into the open, and everything that is concealed will be brought to light and made known to all. ~ Luke 8:17 (NLT)

I want justice.

For all.

For Renee Nicole Good. The ICE agent. Their families and friends. Everyone involved... and everyone that will undoubtedly be affected by the outcome of this.

He (God) is the Rock; his deeds are perfect. Everything he does is just and fair. He is a faithful God who does no wrong; how just and upright he is! ~ Deuteronomy 32:4 (NLT)

Praying for truth, justice and a better (rather than bitter) American way.

Join me?

Wendy