The Innocent Perish

Verses:  Matthew 2:16-18

My thoughts about the verses:

This is a very difficult verse to read.  You have a King who gets mad and retaliates by killing the innocent children that lived in or near Bethlehem.  You can almost hear the screams as children are pulled out of their mother’s arms and killed.  You can see the scene women and men running to hide their children.  Yet, the solders find all of the children under two and kill them.

Yet, because of a dream Jesus was no longer in Bethlehem.  He had travelled to Egypt with his parents.  He was the only innocent that lived.  Can you only imagine how it must have felt for Joseph and Mary?  They had followed the dream, but they must have ached because they knew it was the Messiah that there were searching for.  They had to feel sadness unimaginable to know that their son was who the King wanted to kill.  Can you imagine what you would have done?  Would you have tried to hide your child forever?  Afraid of what was to come.  Knowing that even as a babe he had a price on his head.

It has been a week since a young man walked into a place of safety and killed innocents.  He didn’t care who the people were he had an agenda and these people looked like that they would make the perfect sacrifices for his plan.  He attempted to strike at the very heart of the community.  He felt that if he killed this group of people that a race war would start.

Yet, what he did not take in consideration that he was walking into a church.  A Church filled with faith and the Holy Spirit.  He did not crush the church or begin what he considered his greatest achievement.  Instead he united Religious individuals around the world.  It didn’t matter what Religion, Denomination or Race people united.  People did not go to the streets protesting the treatment of this small group that was studying the Bible.  Instead they went to the streets praying for peace.  They went to the streets memorializing these individuals.

Just like Herod had no satisfaction this young man didn’t gain his satisfaction.  The biggest difference is that Herod would never know that Jesus had gotten out of the country before he passed the decree.  This young man had to witness the outpouring of love and support.  Just imagine what would have happened if Herod had learned that his plan had failed.

How does this apply to our life?  People are going to strike against the innocent.  It really doesn’t matter their reason there will always be individuals that will attempt to cause chaos.  Yet, we need to follow the stance of the members of these two communities.  They didn’t try to kill in payback.  Instead they went into a time of mourning.  They found that they had inner strength and faith that helped them overcomes the situation. 

We have to understand that they are differences between protests and riots.  Protests are voices uniting to demand a change to the injustices of the world.  The goal isn’t to destroy their community.  The goal is to allow the government to understand that they will not stand

Back and allow the government to take actions that hurt people in the community.  Riots on the other hand are attacks on the community that occur in a time of anger and fear.  We have to learn that riots lead to more violence and distrust.  Whereas protests can change things as long as they do not lead to violence.

We as Christians have to ensure that we do not stand by and let injustices happen.  Yet at the same time we have to remember that people are watching us for guidance on how to handle situations.  If we act with violence others will follow.  Yet, if we peacefully protest situations we can keep people calm and lead to changes. 

We may never fully understand or accept the death of innocents.  Yet, what we have to understand that we are the peacemakers that Christ has destined us to be.  With that in mind we need to make sure that our actions demonstrate the love of God.  Be the people that speak out against injustice.  Yet, at the same time do it in a peaceful manner.  Christ demonstrated to us that we needed to stop the hate and injustice that happened in the world.  Yet, we are to do it with a peaceful heart.  More things are won through peace than ever will be achieved through violence.

THIS BLOG IS DEDCATED TO ALL THE INNOCENTS THROUGHOUT THE WORLD WHO HAVE DIED BECAUSE OF PEOPLE WHO BELIEVE OR LOOK DIFFERENTLY THAN THEY DO.  MAY YOU ALL REST IN PEACE.

Prayer:

We lift out hearts up to you today.  We love you for who you are.  We love you for accepting us.  Help us to live a life of peace.  Walk with us each day so that we can break down the barriers that hold us back.  In the name of the PeaceMaker we pray. Amen

Questions:

Have you treated people equally?  Are you following the example of Christ?  What do you need to do today to show the world that you as a Christian sand united with all religious individuals?  Challenge yourself today to bring peace wherever you go.