Christians haven't always given Christianity a great name. Christians are imperfect, like everyone else. We lie, we cheat, we steal, etc. When Christians end up in the headlines for the wrong reasons, we cringe, because even when we know that most Christians aren't like that, many still jump to conclusions and turn their back on the church. I get it. I don't like it, but I get it. Christians, like everyone else, get tempted by competing loves, and sometimes temptation overwhelms resistance.
The Psalmist is saying that he weeps because people do not keep the law. We've all wept these tears in some way. We've read the news and seen the rich taking advantage of the poor, the powerful taking advantage of the weak, etc. We've seen children and immigrants and the elderly not treated as they should be. Every picture from the war in Ukraine makes us weep.
All of these tears are because people do not keep the law of God. God calls us to live in peace, to serve the weak. True religion, the letter of James tells us, is to care for widows and orphans. Jesus teaches us about the good Samaritan, who sacrificially cares for someone regardless of their social status. God designed humans and teaches us how to live together, but we can't follow that law, and so we end up weeping.
So what can we do?
When it comes to international conflict, likely very little. But we can reflect on how we follow the laws of God in our own lives, and how we advocate for that in our communities. Can we better love selflessly? Can we give more generously? Are there conflicts in your life that need to be addressed? Have you taken advantage of someone, intentionally or not? Have you held grudges? Gossipped? Lied? There are ways each of us fall short, every day. May we confess those in prayer, and when we recognize the ways it impacts others, may we work to remedy that, letting God shed light on our next steps.
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