I'm sitting here in kind of shock that Casey Anthony was found innocent from a crime of which I believe she was guilty. And as I watched the tweets and facebook posts stack up with outrage and anger a question grew in my head.
"So, who cares if everyone is upset? What ACTION is it going to lead me to?"
What good is getting angry or upset if it doesn't lead to action?
We just celebrated Independence Day, everyone knows about July 4th, 1776. If not I'm not a historian and I don't want to try and sound all intelligent for the sake of my own narcissistic need. The bottom line is those guys were deeply upset about the injustices one government was pouring upon them and therefore it drove them to action.
As a new parent I am beyond words upset that a woman, a parent, a MOTHER possibly could do something this evil and vile and get away with it. But what good is getting upset? How can I change the system? Maybe I can't, but what I can do is realize that for every Casey Anthony case, there are probably hundreds of thousands of abused, murdered and trafficked children in our world that I barely ever take the time to think about and most of whom never have a voice. And when I do take the time to think about them or the problem in general it's because I'm at a conference where the issue has been placed in front of me by I speaker I'm so enamored to hear because their latest book tickled my ears, I want to hear them talk more about it rather than take to heart the unspeakable injustices delivered to children. I don't know what I can do to help, but I know there is something I can do. I know it will begin with prayer. I don't know how our justice system got it wrong except to say my prayer needs to start emulating Amos' words: "Let justice run down like water, and righteousness like a mighty stream." (Amos 5:24)
And yet, at the same time...
If I want God's justice now, am I welcoming it, asking for it for myself as well? Or do I just want it for the most evil of evil people? Where is the line drawn? Child killers? Rapists? What about 'regular murders'? For that matter Jesus said if you hate someone, you've murdered them in your heart...so there you go. What an overwhelmingly humble and conflicting feeling. "I'M AS GUILTY OF SIN AS CASEY ANTHONY". Go ahead, say that a few times and see how you feel...
Oh Jesus - Your mercy is for everyone. I'm so angry that people like Casey Anthony get of innocent in this life, but I know Your Justice is perfect and I know Your Love is limitless. I'm so glad You're God and I'm not! God I pray for Casey Anthony, her family, her friends. I have no idea what in the world they are feeling right now...
Bottom line - let your outrage from injustice lead to positive life-change! Let your outrage come not just from the pop-culture villains like Casey Anthony and the like. Let it come from the countless evil men and women out there who exploit and abuse children every day. Let that outrage lead you to do something about it! Otherwise, don't waist your time posting some trite response to a lack of justice in a world we already knew lacked justice! Jesus said either be hot or cold, but not lukewarm.
Be salt.
Be light.
