The Struggle: A Lesson Learned From The Hailey Owens Case

The world we live in is so ugly. The earth we live on is so beautiful. How can it be that God created this beautiful earth with all the resources we, as humans, could ever need yet polute it with such "bad people." And this is where the conversation gets difficult because how do you ever define one as "good" or "bad?" Let me cut to the chase. The reason I am posting this is because I've been convicted and I know better. 

Just yesterday, a little girl in the city I live in was abducted. Lately we have had quite a few amber alerts but they all ended up very fortunately with the child found safe. This one was not so fortunate. This precious and innocent little girl was abducted at the age of ten and brutally murdered shortly after by a man that worked in our school system. I texted my mom and sister about it because it made me absolutely sick. I don't have children of my own but I have children in my life that I love more than life itself and thus story devastated me for this poor girl and her family. So, I mentioned to my mom and sister that I hope the sorry excuse for a man rots in hell. I know, I know. I got to thinking...I asked myself, "How can this person ever deserve to be saved? How can he deserve a second chance to repent, find Jesus, and go to the same place all the 'good people' go to when they die?" 

Then the weirdest thing happened. It was like God literally spoke to me and said, "No one deserves it, Bron. Not even you." I found myself quickly correcting my statement and mentioning that I knew that no one was deserving, but man...talk about perspective.

Here is this man...a "bad person." A "monster." A "pedophile." A human. I realized something. I realized that I am quick to label. Everyone is. Call whoever whatever you want.

Hypocrite.

Heathen.

Slut.

Jerk.

Pedophile.

Criminal.

Molester.

Whatever. No matter the label you stick, each one has one thing in common. They are all human. You are, I am, he is, and so is she. I'm not excusing anyone of their sins. I'm ridiculing myself for thinking my sins were somehow better than theirs. How stupid of me. These sins are part if our fallen nature and I get that now, because if no one sinned, wouldn't this world be perfect? And if this world were perfect, who would want to leave? And where does that leave any room for an eternal after life? It doesn't. I get it, God. Thanks. 

So, tonight...I'm praying for Hailey Owen's family; that God gives them the understanding they need and the peace to find it.

I'm praying for myself and mine and Aaron's future children; that God will grant us the chance to live our whole life with them and the ability to comprehend if we don't get to. 

And I'm praying for Craig Wood, the labeled "kidnapper" and "monster." The human. That justice is served, Christ is found, and forgiveness is given. 

Doing anything else would be...so human of me. 

Rest in peace, sweet Hailey. You lived life as innocently as anyone possibly could.