The Finish Line
I don’t usually write about tragedies and other events in the news, but today I felt compelled to share a few thoughts….
The finish line of my first marathon.
Years ago, I was a marathon runner. The months of training were over when the starting gun was fired and an excited mob of runners took the first strides of the race. In the Cowtown Marathon, like most races, people lined the streets and neighborhoods cheering on loved ones and encouraging other runners. Little kids would stand along the sidewalks giving runners high fives. Among the runners there would be those who would offer an encouraging word in passing. A marathon is one of those places where the energy is overwhelmingly positive.
The Cowtown Marathon ran its last few miles along the Trinity River. Every year I ran, there was a ‘fat lady’ in her viking/opera attire who was singing for the runners at mile 25. The course wound through Cowtown then made a turn headed down the home stretch where the road was lined with people cheering for every runner who was just a few hundred feet from finishing the race. I remember my family and friends being at the finish line cheering me on and I guess that is why the events in Boston hit home for me yesterday.
Tragedies, pain and sorrow are a part of the world we live in. Every time a tragic event happens I know people are looking for comfort and for answers. On our church website there is always a sudden surge in search traffic for the phrase – ‘why does God let bad things happen to good people.’ The majority of that search traffic leads to our most popular publication, “Why Does God Let Bad Things Happen To Us?” by Bruce McLarty who is now the President of Harding University. Year after year this search term and this publication bring the highest number of visitors to our website. People around the world are looking for answers, comfort and explanations. Yesterday the search traffic on our site spiked, just like it did after Newtown, Aurora and other recent tragedies.
I hope you’re not reading this post thinking I am going to give you the answer to the question so many are asking. There is no easy answer to the questions that tragedy leaves. It has been challenging to reconcile the tragic events that have impacted my own family, to which there are no easy answers. I wouldn’t dare offer a general explanation for why these things happen.
Many have said this is a clear sign of the ‘depravity of our current world’ but this logic misses the hundreds and thousands of people who ran towards the explosions, gave blood and offered places for the displaced to stay. I don’t believe that the terrible actions of an individual or a small group of people should overshadow the fact that countless Americans and people around the world are willing to reach out and help.
It’s also important to note that the Boston bombing receives so much attention because these public attacks are relatively rare in the United States, in comparison to other parts of the world. In Iraq yesterday a string of bombings in six different providences left 42 people dead and at least 257 wounded. Bombings like this are a daily concurrence in other countries.
Yesterday I decided to take one simple action…hear me out on this one too. I uninstalled the Associated Press breaking news app from my iPhone. Several times a day the distinct ringtone for breaking news would come from my phone and as I pulled it out I would think, “What has gone wrong in the world today?” Yesterday a string of notifications came in about the Boston bombing. I quickly tuned in to see the news networks playing the same video clips over and over again and postulating theories about what happened. Yesterday I realized that nothing positive can come from instant notifications of tragedies around the world, so I deleted the app. News of tragic events will still find its way to me, but now it won’t find me as fast.
Today I continue my efforts to do good work in Texas, while thinking about and praying for the families in Boston. My wife and I continue to look for people we can encourage, help and mentor. We focus on our girls and teach them about loving others. A tragic event should help us to see more clearly that there are people who need support, encouragement, love and a helping hand. Tragic events cause us all to think, search and consider our choices, priorities and decisions in life. I encourage you to find someone today who could use a helping hand or an encouraging word. Focusing on others can help us find the good and the positive in this world that we live in.
I also want to share with you the closing paragraph of Bruce McLarty’s tract:
Click image to download the study guide.
It is always a good idea to spend some time with your family in God’s word. Today’s family worship guide comes from the conclusion of Genesis 21 where Abraham and Abimelech are making a treaty after having a disagreement. Abimelech witnessed the working of God through Abraham and believed to the point where he said, “God is with you in all that you do.” Today’s family worship guide contains a powerful lesson on our example and in how we deal with other people. >>> Week 16 – Faith of Abraham – Part 13
The major story I was getting from the coverage that I watched wasn’t so much about the bombings themselves, but of the positive reactions that so many people had to it.
I think so too Edward. The initial videos they were playing clearly demonstrated the bravery of the first responders as they turned and ran toward the explosions as everyone else was running away.