The Toll

While we await for the final count of the death and destruction in the gulf region, I wanted to at least put a post in that provides my feelings.

I have to admit; I find it almost criminally negligent that a major US City was designed and built in such a precarious position, however, the human suffering has forced me to look beyond that.

The design and rebuilding of that area is for later; today we have people who need all the prayers and assistance that we can provide. I must say that I was very moved by the news reporters who, for a change, dropped their 'professional' demeanor, and actually responded to the tragedy around them. Several reporters were moved to tears by the scenes, and I must admit, I was as well...

The size and scope of this tragedy was hard for me to even imagine until some pictures started coming in of the damage! It is truly horrific, and beyond my meager imagination. But, the sight of damaged homes and ruined buildings, cars, and roads, pale in relation to the pictures of the real devastation: families torn apart, children being rescued from rooftops, senior citizens being carried out of homes with a lok of complete horror and/or bewilderment on their faces.

Is there a bright spot: yes, I believe there is. We are seeing a nation coming together to help its own. We saw this in the weeks and months following 9-11, but unfortunately, it faded as everyone got back to their own self-centered world (me included). Maybe this time we can come together as a nation and look around us, and realize that we NEED one another, poor and rich, black, white, brown, city-slickers and country bumpkins.

We have become a nation polarized in our politics, social institutions, income ranges and a whole host of other areas. It is time for us to look beyond the differences and begin to CARE again.

It is also a time for the church to step up and be the light and salt that the Lord has told us we should be. We should be (and many, many churches are) leading the way in the recovery and assistance effort, and we should show the love of Christ in all of our actions; sharing the gospel by LIVING it out. What is truly a disaster is also an opportunity to touch lives with the truth of Christ; not by shoving a tract down someone's gullet, but by TOUCHING the hurting, as Christ reached out and touched the hurting, leperous, blind, maimed and 'untouchable' in the days He walked the earth!