The news of the abduction and murder of Jessica Ridgeway sent shockwaves through a family, a community, a city and even a nation. Along with the obvious struggle the family and friends of Jessica are dealing with as they try and cope with her death and the fact that the suspect is still at large, is how Christians are to deal with something so horrible. On the day the news of her death broke, a friend of mine and brother in Christ verbalized his struggle to me. "I'm struggling with how I as a Christian should process this. Specifically, what about the scumbag who did it? If he is truly sick, can we blame him? Or are there some things too evil for even mental illness to excuse? Should I simply banish all thoughts of him and let God deal with it? Or is that a cop-out on my responsibility to my fellow man? This happened in my county so what if I end up on the jury? Your thoughts."
My response follows. "I have to keep coming back to what I believe the truth of scripture reveals. First, as hard as it is to accept, this perpetrator or perpetrators has already been forgiven by the Lord at the Cross. But, don't confuse that with saying this crime is somehow okay or that justice should not be served. Secondly, the guilty party must be brought to justice, not only to face punishment for their crime, but to protect the community from further harm. I am a firm believer that the love of God can best be expressed when we are being sinned against. We know all to well the words of Jesus as He died on the cross, "Father forgive them, for they know not what they do." But, we also know that the authorities carry the "sword" for a reason.
While there are people who struggle with discerning right and wrong, it is all to easy in a day and age of political correctness and moral relativism to get bogged down in the messy details of "excusing" sinful behavior by labeling it as an "illness." In less than 90 days we have experienced two of the worst crimes in Denver history take place (Theater shooting). Time will tell what kind of mettle and resolve our community has, including our justice system. These crimes can not be tolerated, the victims cannot be forgotten and the criminals cannot be treated as "lab rats" in an effort to avoid prosecuting them to the fullest extent of the law. This is the perfect time for Christians to be available to comfort those hurting. That is where Jesus is at in the midst of all this; using the pain to bring people to Him. People say that the world needs love. That love is Jesus."
By no means is my response to be mistaken for the absolute way in which to handle something like this. Nor is it to be taken as dismissing those who truly struggle with things like mental illness. My point is to focus solely on the reality of sin in this world and God's solution for that problem in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is times like this were words cannot sufficiently express the pain that a family is going through nor is there a right combination of words that will take that pain away. But, as a Christian, I am confident in my belief that there is no situation in this life, no matter how tragic, that the love of God in Christ Jesus, cannot be used to comfort those involved and to draw them to the Lord.
"May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word (2 Thessalonians 2:16-17)."
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