A Short History of Violence in America (Pt. 2)

August 24, 2007, 10:15 am; posted by
Filed under Articles, David  | No Comments

Read part one here.

Being a baby boomer (born in ’61), I have had ample time to study the development of macho stereotypes in our culture through the various mediums of the past 4.6 decades. I have learned this about the ideal American man — he is quiet, strong, honest and hard-working, a loving husband and a tender father — and a homicidal maniac when pushed beyond a reasonable point of provocation. It’s been a common theme in movies, TV shows, comic books, novels; even popular music at times. I grew up fully expecting that one day I might have to kill to defend myself or my family. Then I got saved.

A pivotal moment arrived in my new Christian life when, as a 20-year-old college student living in the country, I found myself stranded and had to walk a couple miles back home on a winter day. When I turned down my road, I heard the barking and howling of a pack of dogs that I knew ran up and down our road tearing up garbage and terrorizing people. I grabbed a large stick and headed off for my house, only to hear God say distinctly, “My rod and My staff will comfort you.” I was young enough as a Christian that when God spoke I simply obeyed, so when he said, “Throw down the stick,” I threw down the stick. I heard the dogs the entire way home, but I never saw them, and I learned a lesson about where my protection comes from.

Oddly enough, over 20 years later I had a dream that my son Philip and I were walking down a back road, and became surrounded by dogs. I picked up a stick in the dream and was warding off the dogs when I noticed that my son was not obeying my yells to stay close, but rather moving ahead, trusting God for protection. I was ashamed of myself. It was a significant dream in that I had picked up the stick again in my life — not for me, but for my family — and yet God’s answer was the same. If you can’t trust me to defend your family, what good will your little stick do? Or your gun?

Don’t get me wrong. Like anyone, I have lain awake at night imagining all the worst things that can happen to my family, invariably drifting into some Clint Eastwood, go-ahead-make-my-day fantasy, where I either gun the perpetrators down or search them out afterwards to get revenge. Then I repent.

Don’t think, though, that I wouldn’t go to war for my family — I’ve done it every day since we’ve been a family. I just know that we “war not against flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers, against the rulers of darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” If you have a gun that kills that type of stuff, I’ll buy one. Until then, I’m sticking with what works: His rod and His staff.

Read Ezra 8:21-23. Ezra was ashamed to ask for protection from the king for his journey back to Jerusalem, because he had told the king, “Our God protects all those who worship Him, but His fierce anger rages against those who abandon Him.”

I’m not speaking this about anyone but myself, but I would be ashamed if I ever broke down and purchased a handgun to defend my family. I know where my protection comes from.


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