Responding to tragedy with love

Hindsight is not 20/20. Unfortunately, we cannot control the actions or reactions of others — only our own.  And while this is not terribly comforting in times of tragedy, it becomes a challenge for how we choose to act as time goes on.

Ecclesiastes 3 tells us that there is a time and a season for everything under heaven. It reads:

For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:
a time to be born, and a time to die;
a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;
a time to kill, and a time to heal;
a time to break down, and a time to build up;
a time to weep, and a time to laugh;
a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
a time to throw away stones, and a time to gather stones together;
a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
a time to seek, and a time to lose;
a time to keep, and a time to throw away;
a time to tear, and a time to sew;
a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
a time to love, and a time to hate;
a time for war, and a time for peace.

I would say that we are currently in a time of chaos and unrest.  We are in a time of sorrow and mourning.  We are in a time of pain.  And while Ecclesiastes refers to “a time to love, and a time to hate,” I do not believe that now is a time to hate.

Now is a time to respond to tragedy with love, embracing those who are most hurt and living peace for those who are most in the midst of chaos.

A time will come when it is appropriate to ask difficult and important questions, but for this time, let us focus on becoming peace and love for each other.  It is at this time that we seem to need it most.