Responding to the Melbourne Fires
0 comments | Posted by Steven Layson on 15 Feb 2009 in From Steve's Study ::
The last eight days have been tragic ones indeed. It has been overwhelming to sit and watch the television broadcasts of people who have lost everything – houses, possessions and even friends and family members. Day after day we’ve seen & heard horror stories mixed with those of great fortune, & tales of human generosity from some, contrasted with despicable behavior in others.
How should we, as Christians respond to such a tragedy?
Firstly, I want to speak most strongly against the Victorian Pastor who blamed the fires on the recent passing of the Abortion Bill in the Victorian Parliament. It may well be that God is displeased with the passing of such a bill, but to place a causal link between the two events is not only pastorally insensitive, but also a gross misrepresentation of the teaching of Scripture. In Matthew 5:45, Jesus says that God causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. Good and bad things happen to all people & it is most unwise to declare that God has made a link between these two events.
Secondly, it is important for Christians to respond as Christ himself responded to suffering in the lives of others – with great love and compassion. He did not simply “tut, tut” and then change the channel, he was prepared to go out of his way to help those in need in physical, as well as spiritual ways. Of course, one of the greatest things we can do as Christians is to pray – for those who are still lying in intensive care, for those who have lost loved ones, for strength for the firefighters and health professionals, for wisdom for political leaders, & even for justice for those who started the fires.
Thirdly, a tragedy such as this, close to home, should remind us of the fact that such tragedies are happening every day of the week throughout the world. In December last year, the UN reported that over 600 people had died in Zimbabwe as a result of the Cholera epidemic, caused by the lack of clean drinking water. Three weeks of intense fighting in Gaza, which erupted on Dec 27, killed more than 1,300 people. And the list could go on indefinitely. Our compassion for those in need should not stop when the news items fade away.
Finally, we need to take on board the warning Jesus gave to those of his own time in the wake of a tragedy, “those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them – do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem? I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.” (Luke 13:4-5) In other words, such tragedies should remind us of the frailty of life & of our need to make sure we are right with God.
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