Remembering 9/11 not reliving it

16 years ago this morning I was driving north on I-25 in Denver  when I heard a radio report of a plane crashing into the World Trade Center.  I remember thinking that it must be a smaller craft that had lost control.  I arrived at work in time to see the flight 175 crash into the South Tower.  It was as if the world stopped for a moment.  The images of the collisions in NYC, DC and the crash site in Pennsylvania are seared on my memory along with random images of the aftermath.  
I remember going through the motions of work that day and the next wondering why the world couldn't just stop for a while.  We waited anxiously for word of loved ones living and working in NYC and at the Pentagon.  I listened as the contractors I supervised gave vent to their fear, frustration and helplessness.  Frequently, I heard outbursts of anger and threats to get "those people" whomever the speaker thought were responsible.  Mostly this was "the Muslims".   I understand the feelings.  I was more appalled by a coworker saying, "I wish I was an undertaker in New York City. I'd be rolling in it."  As I look back I think the increase in divisive rhetoric and scapegoating "those people" that we see today is rooted in the aftermath of 9/11.  
Today, I live off highway 65 in Buffalo, MO.  This morning, the tragedy I hear about on the news is Harvey and Irma and the havoc they've wreaked in Texas, Louisiana, Florida and South Carolina.  I wish there was more I could do to help.  Even more, I am aware of the tragedies in the community I live in where 25% of families have an income of less than $25,000 annually and over 34% of children live in poverty.  The county I live in has seen reports of domestic violence double in the last 5 years.  (Derived from County 911 call numbers for 2012-2016).  

 If possible, to the best of your ability, live at peace with all people. Don’t try to get revenge for yourselves, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath. It is written, Revenge belongs to me; I will pay it back, says the Lord. Instead, If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink. By doing this, you will pile burning coals of fire upon his head. Don’t be defeated by evil, but defeat evil with good.  Romans 12:18-21 

These words from Paul come in the midst of teaching on what it means to live together under the Holy Spirit's direction.  They reflect a vision of the kingdom of God made real and tangible in the lives of God's people.  In that light, I believe the best I can do to honor 9/11 is to combat hatred and violence  with love and peace in my own life and the lives of those around me. Rather than point a finger at those people, I choose to work with and among these people to make our city, our county, our state, our nation and our world a better place.  How about you?

Fix the problem

We left the in-laws house to drive home and the car was shuddering badly as we drove down the interstate. Lynn insisted (rightly) that we stop and get it checked out. Two tires later we were back on the road. New, balanced tires made for a much smoother ride. End of story? No. The symptom had been addressed, but the problem remained.  Turns our the rear struts on my car were bad causing the tires to wear unevenly which led to the shuddering. How often in life do we treat the symptoms and ignore the problem?  

I could just keep replacing the tires every time the shuddering gets too bad.  My car would eventually look like a lowrider with bad hydraulics, but I could handle it this way. Instead, I chose to replace the struts and having more time than money, I tackled the project myself. The first strut took me 3 hours and a 30 inch breaker bar to get off because of a bolt that had seized up. I figured the second would be much easier until the same bolt on that side broke off. Long story short, the original bolts are flawed and must be replaced.  I’ll have to drill out the holes and install better bolts to hold the new struts in place.  Then I can put the car back together and get back on the road.  It’s been a lot more work and frustration and taken a lot longer than I thought it would. I think a lot of times we choose to treat the symptoms rather than address the heart of the issue because addressing the problem would require change and change is hard.  

Jesus taught a similar lesson when he said,  

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell.”  Matthew 5:27-30  

Notice that he tells us to deal with the cause of the problem. The sinful action is the symptom and the real problem is the lust or greed or pride or … in our heart.  The problem is so serious that it merits drastic action to address it.  

My car needed new struts and new bolts to hold them in place.  It’s taken some serious work to fix the problem.  We need new desires and a new heart to hold them.  Just as my car couldn’t fix itself, we can’t fix our hearts.  We need Jesus to come in a cut away the old defective parts and replace them with new, better ones. The next time you fall short of what God desires for you, don’t just address the symptoms. Praying harder and trying to be better won’t work. Drowning your guilt with busy-ness, food, escapism, alcohol or drugs won’t fix it. Instead, realize that the real problem is the desires in your heart.  Ask God to do some surgery; to cut out the sinful desires and give you a new heart. It won’t be easy. It may take longer than you like. You will have to change. It will be worth it.