"Brendan Watson is 25. Last year, he bought his first house in St. Pete. Last week he bought his first handgun, a 9mm. He doesn't like guns. But feels he needs one." That's the way a recent article in the St. Petersburg Times bagan. Brendan is a writer for the paper and his words really hit me as I read them ... particularly the last line I quoted ... "[he] feels he needs one." I have never been a "pro-gun" advoctate nor an "anti-gun" supporter, but I am concerned when a young man writes that he "feels he needs one."
Granted, we live in a country where violence seems to be on the upswing, but doesn't this just make matters worse? We already have signs of what "feels he needs one," type of thinking gets us. We could just as easily be talking about alcohol or drugs or even sexual issues. The need for just one more will eventually lead to a habit ... which leads to character ... which leads to destiny.
I think somewhere along the way we have missed the mark. Our philosophy of self-protection equals safety doesn't always compute to a level playing field - as we learned so unfortunately last Monday. Perhaps a better philosophy to live by is the one that Jesus gave to us ... Treat others the way you would want yourself to be treated. Love your enemies. Love your neighbor as yourself. Husband's love your wives the way Christ loved the church. Wives, respect your husbands. Children, honor and obey your parents.
Maybe I'm tilting too many windmills - but it seems to me that The One who created the Universe in perfect order knows a thing or two about how we should behave and treat each other.
Think about it!!
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