Violence Again

Scripture verses that caught my attention today: Judges 3:20-22 Ehud came to him, while he was sitting alone in his cool roof chamber, and said, “I have a message from God for you.” So he rose from his seat. 21 Then Ehud reached with his left hand, took the sword from his right thigh, and thrust it into Eglon’s belly; 22 the hilt also went in after the blade, and the fat closed over the blade, for he did not draw the sword out of his belly; and the dirt came out.

Observation: This is not a pretty sight, not something pretty to read. It makes a person wince, even if, perhaps, it was deserved.

Application: Today I read about some dastardly things that a small group of human beings recently did to a couple of their fellow human beings. It was violent, disgusting, and, ultimately, fatal. I wish I would not have read the article. Then a few minutes ago I read the Biblical passage above. Today’s scripture readings also included a story of cutting off the thumbs and big toes of a king, just as he had apparently done to 70 other kings. Is this what humanity has succumbed to? What’s worse, the violence of Ehud and several other Israelites was considered to be the work of God. Perhaps so. But that still doesn’t make it easy to read. And it makes me wonder again why humanity so often stoops so low. Surely there must be a better way.

The only consolation I can find at the moment is that the ways of Jesus in the New Testament take an entirely different track. There is violence done there too, of course, but it is violence done to the people of God, not by the people of God. Vulnerability replaces bravado. Violence is received by Christians, but not dished out by them.

Ultimately I would most certainly prefer no violence at all, by anyone…to anyone. Perhaps those days will someday come to pass. I pray sooner rather than later.

Prayer: Lord, is there not a better way to live? Is there not a way for such senseless violence to end? You’ve probably heard those questions before. Still, they bear repeating. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

(Readings today included: Judges 1-3 and 1 Corinthians 12)