In Defence of a Little Violence

I know what you’re thinking. Violence is wrong. In most cases, I would agree with you. The world is already brimming with violence. The news is full of sordid stories of greed, lust, wars, famine, want and oppression; all forms of violence seem to be glorified in our culture, and I mean the HUMAN culture. SO much violence, so much terror exists in the world, that sometimes we just want to retreat into a little, dark hidey-hole and shut it all out.

OK, so, we’ve done that. Here we are in our little, dark hidey-hole. We’ve shut out the world, and everyone we think will do us any harm. What’s going on in the world outside while we’re stowed away? If we took a peek through our spiked walls, across the moat full of crocodiles, and over the tops of the trees of the remote forest we’ve selected, we will see a dense cloud of dust, and hear the barely discernible clash of weapons, and the cries of pain and battle. We’ve done a good job insulating ourselves from the outside world. BUT, nothing positive has been accomplished. In fact, our side has lost yet another warrior for the cause of peace and justice.

Sometimes, a few of us manage to stay out of hiding, but we might just as well be for all the good we do. Mediocrity is not a word that should be used to describe who you are. You were not meant to be a sideline, a victim, or an afterthought.

You were created to be a WARRIOR!

At times, the best course when facing a senseless evil is violence. (This is the part where you really have to be paying attention.) I’m not advocating anarchy, or threatening a public official or stalking a celebrity. The world suffers from this canker enough already. I’m not advocating any kind of public demonstration with signs where people stand around and say “It must stop” or “It must start”. All I am saying…..is give ACTION a chance. If you grab up your friend when they’re hurting and hold them in a hug so fierce that they feel Jesus pouring through you; or get in your angsty teen’s face and tell them with strong words how amazing and irreplaceable and loved and appreciated they are; or you cook and bake for the family you know that has just lost their father or mother; or you take a troubled kid (we all know these) under your wing and teach them how to be the kind of person who makes this world a better place; you are taking a violent step into this world of woes.

You get involved. You take a stand. You stand in the gap.

You invest in someone else, and you do it ON PURPOSE.

“Frightening” is a word that only begins to describe the lives of some of the people around you, next door, behind you in church, or even in front of you while they check your groceries out at the store. We need to get out eyes off of ourselves and turn them outward to the people around us and do the right thing. Demonstrating is usually spurred by feelings that something is very wrong and must be changed. Thinking something is wrong is not the end, however, but only the beginning. Don’t be discouraged! You stepping in for someone may make all the difference.

For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. 2 Corinthians 10:3-5