The Good in the Bad
Some people say that good and bad, or evil, travel together and when you find one, you find the other. I’m not sure that’s always the case—except that the Lord brings good out of all things for those who love Him. However, I see it happening around the Aurora tragedy.
It is devastating to even hear about the horrendous attacks on innocent people and the plans for even greater devastation. It is beyond comprehension how anybody could intentionally plan and execute such loss, pain, and suffering against fellow humans.
However, we can also find good in the midst of the tragedy. People bravely placed themselves in the way of danger in order to help and protect others. Three young men lost their lives as they intentionally acted as shields for those they loved.
Others were injured as they sought to protect those around them or assisted the injured rather than protecting themselves. Many more people were spared even though they put themselves in harm’s way to protect others. They are heroes too.
In the midst of chaos and carnage, law enforcement, fire, and medical officials served heroically, giving of themselves selflessly for people they had never met. The good in mankind demonstrated during the tragedy is greater than the evil of one man.
Through it all, the community—and the nation—has come together to grieve. We mourn that such a thing could happen, and we mourn for the victims and with their families. We mourn for those who witnessed the carnage and will need healing from the trauma. We are united through shared grief.
In Philippians 4:8, we are reminded to think on whatever is honorable, right, lovely and of good repute. Indeed, we’re told “If there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, let your mind dwell on these things.”
The tragedy was terrible and the suffering continues. But, if we allow ourselves to focus on the evil that was perpetrated, we allow the enemy a greater victory as we become discouraged and negative.
On the other hand, if we focus on the things worthy of praise and let our minds dwell on the events that are honorable and of good repute, we will see the hand of the Lord at work and will gain hope in the goodness of mankind. We, too, can be part of the good that parallels the evil.
As we grieve with the people of Aurora and weep with those who weep, we are united with them in their suffering. We share their burden.
As we celebrate the good that happened in Aurora and pray for the people there and for our nation, we join our efforts with the strength and power of the Lord. If we do that, the good that can come from this tragedy is immeasurable.
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