Evil, hatred, racism never retire

June 10, 10:43 PMMethodist ExaminerJames-Michael Smith

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Officer Stephen Tyrone Johns, killed in the line of duty 

Who would have thought that in 2009 an octogenarian white supremacist  armed with a .22 would open fire in the middle of our nation's crowded Holocaust Museum, killing a security guard before getting gunned down himself? 

Yet tragically that is exactly what happened today. 

(Click HERE for the story)

Over the next few weeks there will likely be much discussion about this...much of it will probably mention it alongside the shooting of Dr. Tiller, implying a connection of some sort. But before all the speculation, conspiracy theories and/or sociological analyses begin to circulate, I wanted to simply use this as an illustration of an important lesson: 

Evil never retires. 

We must never think that just because time passes, people will automatically become less racist, less violent, less irrational.  Sin does not age or slow down.  Today's shooting, along with the Tiller murder and countless other acts of sin that go unreported each day stand as ongoing reminders of the brokenness of this world in which we live. 

If it weren't for the promises of our Lord that evil would once and for all be judged, and finally destroyed for good, when He returns (Revelation 20-22), it would be easy to lose hope. 

Lord, give us strength to stand against such evil and live lives of devotion and self-sacrificing love in service to you and to others in the meantime.

Comfort the friends and family Stephen Johns leaves behind as well as all those who have been devastated by such tragedies and bring your light into this darkness somehow.

Maranatha! 

Amen.