Redeem It

But Joseph said to them, ‘Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God?  You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.                                                                                                                                                           Genesis 50:19-20

Whenever there is a senseless, horrible tragedy like the recent murder of political activist  Charlie Kirk, we must try to redeem it somehow into something good. His death was a senseless and malicious act that can further deepen the political gulf that now exists in our country.

So, how do we honor the memory of Charlie Kirk? Whether or not you were a fan or devotee of Charlie Kirk, we must come together to redeem this tragedy. One great outcome could be the consensus of reason- that political violence is wrong, evil and counterproductive.  Disagreement is a powerful and important part of the democratic process. That disagreement must be civil, productive and respectful. Name calling, ad hominem attacks and, heaven forbid violence, are terribly destructive.

Charlie Kirk was known for his desire to engage people of different viewpoints into a discussion. He was very good at debating, and he felt comfortable in that setting. If we can redeem any good thing out of this terrible tragedy, it would be to honor him by doing what he did with his political opponents. Let us engage one another in civil and meaningful dialogue, agreeing to disagree when need be, but respectfully engaging those with whom we disagree.  

Prayer: Lord, help us to learn from tragedy, and redeem it for good, Amen