Tragedy faces nearly everyone at one point in their life or another. It means something different to each person. It is painful, messy, frustrating, unfortunately beautiful, and unpredictable.
Tragedy has appeared in my life both at a distance and very near to my heart. It is never easy but somehow there is always a thread of hope, something worth holding onto and seeing something greater than this moment of despair.
Tragedy is currently permeating through the small community I am invested in. It is heartbreaking and unfair. Nobody asked for it, it was one of those things that just should not have happened, yet it did.
Tragedy has a common thread.. the blame game. Unfortunately enough, blame is so easily passed in the face of tragedy. Fingers are pointed, judgment is cast, and blame dished out.
Whether that is God, ourselves, society, someone we have known our whole lives or just heard of on a news story, we satisfy our anger, frustration, and pain in the blaming of another.
By no means am I saying those involved in afflicting tragedy should get off easy or not be punished for their detrimental actions but for the majority of us that is not our place and job.
Instead we have the choice of placing blame, remorse, hate, and judgment or seeking to understand and learn in love and mercy. How easy it is to label another as crazy, messed up, and sinful to tame our emotions instead of choosing to forgive and love in the face of tragedy.
But here's the thing-aren't we all crazy, messed up, and sinful? The beautiful hope is that we are made blameless in the eyes of Christ Jesus. We are to present ourselves as holy and steadfast unto him, not shifting from the hope of the gospel we have heard (Colossians 1:21-23).
To present ourselves as blameless then mustn't we not pass blame ourselves? I truly think that when we pass blame on others we are letting ourselves off easy and not working through the difficult but oh so holy process of reconciliation and seeing others how Christ sees them-holy and blameless.
Let's be merciful people who love others and connect through tragedy in ways other than playing the blame game and gossiping with our like-minded friends.
Labels: community, faith, Heart to Heart
