Where Has Grace and Community Gone?.....

Yes, I'm heading down a rambling road tonight.  I've touched on this many times, but today I really can't shake it.  Our society has gotten onto a completely single rail track... you know: it's all about ME ME ME.  It's no longer a toddler's tantrum, it's now a societal battle cry.

Today we saw a man, self proclaimed as a "democratic socialist" attempt a mass assassination of our republican lawmakers who were playing baseball in the early hours of the morning.  A long standing tradition of both sides of the aisle coming together in good spirited competition to play the ultimate "all american" pastime while raising money to benefit underprivileged kids in the DC area.  Thanks to the brutal climate that has settled over our nation, this early morning practice was nearly turned into a killing field, running red with the blood of the Majority Whip, an aide, a lobbyist, and two capital police officers (who were heroic in their every action; protecting everyone even after they themselves had been shot).  All because he "hated" our president and disagreed with the republican party, and for some reason, he felt empowered to literally kill those he disagreed with.  This was the news we all woke to this morning.

What happened next?  Well, it started out ok with everyone, regardless of political affiliation, coming together to pray for the victims and their families.  That lasted a very short time before the political spin began.  News medias across the country were carefully choosing how to word everything, not out of protection for the victims and their families, rather in an attempt to further their own agendas.  Our President made a heartfelt statement, then the responses I read from the "average Joe" were astoundingly cruel, disrespectful, horrid... I seriously can't wrap my mind around the twisted comments.  One meme I saw spoke of this being a lesson in what karma really is and that those injured should consider that maybe they deserved this.  Another reporter tweeted that if it's proven the shooter had medical conditions, then maybe his actions (shooting down unarmed republicans in an ambush style attack) should be considered self-defense.  And yet another commented something to the extent of "1 down, 216 to go".  WHAT?????

For the past few weeks we've been visually assaulted by the image of a D-rated comedian holding up what was suppose to look like the bloody head of our sitting President.  She then has spent the days since whining about how she is the victim because she has lost all her scheduled gigs over her stupidity.  Then, a tax-funded play, open to families, depicting our sitting President being stabbed to death.....  In all this, those committing the violence are the ones either celebrated or given victim status.  What is going on in our country????

Let's look within our own communities, our own families.  What are we seeing?  Sadly, we are seeing much of the same mentality.  ENTITLEMENT.  Me Me Me.  Everyone for themselves.  Families are torn apart, communities are pitted against each other.  And, it's growing in violence.  It seems that nobody knows how to simply disagree anymore.... now, if others don't agree with you, then they deserve to lose everything, even their very life.  How did we get here?

It's been coming to this for many years.  We have become more concerned with our kids being "happy" than finding joy.  We've ingrained mediocrity, taken away moral and ethical right and wrong, taught our children that there are no longer any definitives and everything is based on how they feel.  Here's the problem:  How many times do you hear parents say "All I want is for my kids to be happy"?  Happiness is a feeling.... there is no way that you can always be happy.  We have a generation (soon to be two) that doesn't know how to handle their feelings when they are anything other than "happy" so they strike out.  We have a generation that has had every moment of their lives scheduled for them, they are highly educated for the sake of education alone, they fill in their non academic time with activities that "look good" on college applications rather than things they truly enjoy for the sake of nothing more than pure enjoyment.  While they are testing higher in school, they are not being equipped to handle what life throws them in "the real world", rather they are growing up insulated.... and what is the message they are taking away from all this?  That they are what matters most, at all cost.  Does this sound extreme?  Look around.....

Our kids are the snapchat generation.  They vlog, blog, tweet, snap, post, go live, and anything else there is.... they have grown up living their life on social media, posting everything they think, eat, do. What's the problem with this?  It's not real and our kids now are always in performance mode.   And, because they are always in performance mode, they don't know how to handle all the realities of life.  I see it in my kids at times and I cringe.  Beyond this, I see it in our senior population as well.... Sorry, I'm sure this isn't going to fly well.  I have a heart for older people, but they are no longer the community that my grandma was.  How can we expect our kids to not be so self-oriented when the baby-boomer generation is as well?  I have watched in line as seniors will push their way infront of kids, gotten upset when they weren't given a senior discount, heard them talk down "Kids today" for the very same thing they themselves are doing.  Grandparents aren't involved like they use to be because they are busy living their life.  Community.... it's eroded completely away under our feet.

I'm old enough to remember a time where grace and community flourished.  A time that things weren't filtered through a "me only" lens.  It use to be that if I made a mistake and dialed a wrong number, I apologized and that was then end of it.  Now, if I were to dial or text a wrong number, it's very likely that I would be assaulted and insulted by the person on the other end.  I remember when language was not coarse and just hearing someone use a curse word would bring a gasp; now it's the normal course of dialect.  Growing up, violence was not threatened over a difference of opinion and people didn't say you deserved to die a slow painful death because you were on opposing sides of the political spectrum.  Businesses actually made sure you knew they appreciated your business and they expected their employees to represent them well and keep their good reputation by the way they behaved and spoke while working for them.  I remember a time when grandparents were an integral part of the family, not just someone who sent a birthday card and you saw once a year.  A time when you truly valued their opinion and actually cherished the time you spent with them.  I remember close church families that pulled around in time of need, celebrated in all the good, and taught the Good News of the Gospel not just a feel good motivational message to help you get thru the week.  Neighbors were extended family, good or bad, and looked out for each other.  See where I'm going.... We KNOW a BETTER TIME and we KNOW a BETTER WAY than what we are living now.  Sure, we can blame technology, TV, Hollywood, music, commercials, the media, etc.... but the fact is that we have allowed it to happen by doing nothing about it.  When are we going to start saying "THIS IS WRONG AND THERE ARE SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES FOR YOUR BAD BEHAVIOR AND CHOICE"?  When are we going to bring grace and gentleness back?

Today was a dark day in our country on so many levels.  Let's wake up and start living in Grace again.  The longest journey always starts with the first step.  Instead of reacting harshly because you've filtered something thru a "me" lens, give grace.  You will be surprised how far it goes.  Live the life you were created to live.... treat those closest to you with kindness and respect, be gentle in spirit, understand that everyone is fighting a battle you know nothing about and how you treat them may very well be what either lifts them up to victory or tears them completely down in defeat.  GRACE....