Guns, Apples, and the Choices of a Loving God

Countless times over the past week people have asked, "How could a loving God allow the movie theater shooting in Colorado?" It's a valid question, and one that (unfortunately) doesn't have an easy, cut-and-paste answer.

But here are two things I know:

First, God didn't stop the worst (and first) sin in the history of the world.

God is a loving creator who desperately wants his creation to return his love, but who refuses to force it. Otherwise, why didn't he stop Adam and Eve from sinning in the garden? Why didn't he step in and stop the one single act that effectively tainted history forever? We wouldn't be talking about Aurora today if God had just made the world's first couple do the right thing.

Before Eve bit into the apple, God knew the death, destruction and pain that was in store for his creation. God was well aware of Rwanda and September 11th and Columbine and Batman. But not a single one of these atrocities was enough for him to strip us of our choice to follow him.

God is a loving God...which means he is not always a controlling God. Obligation eliminates love and had God forced humans to follow him he would have ensured a compliant universe, but forfeited a loving one.

Second, God is perfectly capable of redeeming human decisions.

Romans 8:28 says, "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him." It doesn't say that all things are good. It says no matter what happens - no matter what sick, demented level humankind chooses to stoop to - God can make good from it. That's what makes God, God...and what makes man, man. No matter what man decides to do, God can (miraculously) redeem it.

At the dawn of time, Adam and Eve chose to disobey. And, 2,000 years ago, God chose to redeem.

He wasn't forced to send Jesus. He didn't have to sacrifice his one and only son. He wasn't required to provide a way out of this sinful and broken world. But he loves us so much that he chose to do it anyway. God chose death so that we could chose life. (And even more remarkable is that he chose death knowing many millions would not chose life.)

You and I cannot possibly make sense out of twelve innocent people losing their lives at a movie theater. We cannot, on our own, find a shred of good in the appalling choices of a deranged young man. But God can. And God does.

God made something good out of worst decision ever made, and I'm confident he can do it again. Even if it doesn't make much sense right now.

Nelson Mandela, Jesus, and You...

Nelson Madela is known for bringing South Africans together after the country was torn apart by apartheid. He also won the Nobel Peace Prize, spent 27 years in prison for fighting against the oppression of minorities in South Africa, and became the nation's first black president in 1994 - just four years after gaining his own freedom.

Mandela celebrated his 94th birthday this week, and residents of South Africa commemorated the event by doing good deeds throughout the country. In fact, citizens were asked to do at least 67 minutes worth of public service on Wednesday to honor the 67 years Mandela devoted to serving others.

Which got me to thinking...

If people were going to do something to celebrate my birthday that was representative of what I had done with my time here on Earth, what would they do?

- Would they spend 34 minutes complaining or gossiping?
- Would they spend 34 minutes on Facebook or Twitter?
- Would they spend 34 extra minutes at work or in bed?
- Would they spend 34 minutes watching television or on the computer?
- Would they spend 34 minutes working in the yard or organizing the garage?

Ugh.

I don't know about you, but my hope is that (eventually) I will be known for making people smile, even when life isn't funny. For meeting their needs, even when it costs me something. For loving them, even when it isn't easy. For extending grace, even when it isn't necessary. For offering hope, even when it isn't obvious. And for giving the credit for it all to someone other than myself.

Nelson Mandela did it. And, as I recall, Jesus did too.

Those are big shoes (or sandals) to fill. But they are worth shooting for. I'd rather be known for trying to make a difference and coming up short than for having seen every episode of American Idol.

Help the Helper

On the morning of our second full day in Lima, Peru, the bus took us to Divino Jesus – an orphanage for babies and toddlers. While we weren’t allowed to use our cameras, there were hundreds of pictures begging to be taken. Twin four-year-old girls swinging from the monkey bars. Toddler boys chasing bouncy balls all over the courtyard. Little ones playing airplane until our arms couldn’t take it anymore.

But those sights and sounds weren’t what touched me the most.

What struck me the most was watching the employees of Divino Jesus play volleyball as our team loved on the kids. Nurses, cooks, caretakers, and executives alike took to the court…laughing, screaming, and acting much like the children they spend their days caring for. If you hadn't looked and only listened, you would have thought the kids were still out in the courtyard playing.

I came to Peru knowing that we would put smiles on the faces of orphans. I came understanding that we would touch the lives of children without families. But I never imagined that our presence would impact the very people who watch these children.

While the three hours we spent with these kids was meaningful to them, I can say with confidence that the time of freedom and refreshment that was provided to the employees of Divino Jesus was just as important. They will be better, happier, more loving caretakers for days, perhaps weeks, because of the respite they received that day.

So often it's easy to excuse our inaction by assuming that we can never do a certain job as good as the person who is currently doing it. And that may be true. However, doing work for the existing workers now allows those workers to do their work even better later. Whether it's giving your pastor a few extra weeks off in middle of the summer, giving a single mom a few hours off in the middle of her day, or giving the employees at an orphanage the morning off...rest can be exactly what they need to keep going.

When an opportunity to serve comes along, don't fool yourself into thinking that you can do a better job than whoever was doing it before. But, likewise, don't fool yourself into thinking that your help won't make a difference either. When God calls you to go, just go. He will use you as he sees fit. And he will likely surprise you with the results.

Picking Up Starfish in Peru

(This blog was originally written more than two years ago when my friend and co-host Pam traveled to Port-au-Prince, Haiti. It has been modified to reflect the trip she and I are about to take to Lima, Peru.)

I love the story of the grandfather and grandson who were walking along the beach one day.  As far as their eyes could see, starfish lined the sand - having been washed up and abandoned by the tide.  Knowing that these starfish would die if left out of the water for too long, the little boy began picking them up one at a time and throwing the creatures back into the ocean.  Splash.  Splash.  Splash.

The grandfather said, "You know you'll never be able to save all of them, right?"  To which the boy replied, "I know.  But I can save this one."  Splash.

Tomorrow afternoon, Pam and I are traveling with thirteen listeners to Lima, Peru with Shoes for Orphan Souls. Over nine days, our group will love on hundreds of orphans the best we know how. We will play games. Sing songs. And tell stories. We will hold their hands. Hug their necks. And put new shoes on their feet. Will we change the world? No. Will we change Peru? Probably not. But will we change a life or two? I think so.

The needs in our world can feel overwhelming - crippling even - but I learned something when we went to Peru last year:  The only thing worse than not helping the masses is using the masses as an excuse to not help anyone.  Maybe we can't change our entire school system, but we can mentor one kid in it.  Maybe we can't beautify an entire city, but we can pick up trash at a nearby park.  Maybe we can't provide clean drinking water for an entire nation, but we can provide safe alternatives for a family or two.

Whether it's in Peru or right in your own backyard, you and I have a part to play.  And while it may feel like a small part, it's a part nonetheless.  Remember, saving millions of starfish starts with picking up the one right in front of you.