The spirit of offense is rampant among our children….such evil, such tragedy. How many of them have heard and seen verbal and physical violence in the home? Disrespect? Rejection of authority? Have no skills for impulse control or conflict resution? No willingness to talk through differences, forgive, and move forward? No love of self or neighbor? No value for life? Have been trained in only the dichotomy of victimizer or victim, oppressor or oppressed? Some live like their world is a war zone and its either kill or be killed…..
In news this week:
“A 15-year-old boy allegedly gunned down his teenage classmate after the victim bumped him in the hallway of their Florida high school — and officials are now seeking to charge him as an adult, according to authorities.
Jacori Redding, 15, and Pinien Dalmacy, 16, bumped into each other while walking in the hallway of Oak Ridge High School in Sky Lake on Oct. 9, and got into an argument, Orange County Sheriff John Mina said during a press conference.
The two sophomores agreed to fight at a nearby park after school after Redding reportedly refused to apologize to Dalmacy for the accidental bump, Mina said.” When they met at the park, Redding shot and killed Dalmacy.
Redding had been disciplined 17 times for physical altercations in school. He was arrested at the high school with the murder weapon still in his backpack.
Even in daily discourse….
It seems that, in general in our world now, if one makes any reference to a culturally highly-visible phrase, group, or issue, however benign it may be, such a reference will instantly get a rise from someone on one side or the other, making assumptions or accusations about the way in which the reference is being made, and often using such to align with or reject the source. It is a failing to which many of us have succumbed.
The spirit of offense is strong in our world today. As followers of Christ, it seems to me it would behoove us to be wise as serpents and gentle like doves…. Observing more, reacting less, responding with respect and giving the benefit of the doubt about people’s motives and intent. Sometimes a word or phrase is just that, not a political statement. Sometimes an accidental bump or oversight is just that, an accodental bump or an oversight.
I was taught, as part of my Christian and civic responsibility, to stay informed about political and cultural issues in order to observe ways in which God is at work in the world and to pray for and come alongside in my small individual way to support God’s work toward the kingdom coming. It isn’t to incite my self-righteousness or to tear others down. I can take a stand for what I believe is right and speak the truth as I understand it in the proper place and time while affording others the same right. Just sayin…..
I learned long ago that God wastes nothing. He uses every vessel. Some whom He uses will be good examples. Others will be horrible warnings. Even a horrible warning, however, can be beautifully redeemed!
Ezekiel 33:11
“As I live!’ declares the Lord God, ‘I take no pleasure at all in the death of the wicked, but rather that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn back, turn back from your evil ways!” (NASB)
CBB 11/5/25