We all know that children are dying for lack of bread in Africa. Just as we know that children are dying for lack of truth in America. And it is very sad, to be sure. The world is shocked to witness the political reign of chaos and rebellion on the Dark Continent, just as they are shocked to witness the moral reign of chaos and rebellion on the Free Continent. What Africans say with bullets, Americans say with court rulings. It is not the message that differs; only the language.
Their schools are empty because of violence; our schools are empty because of indifference. Their armies of child soldiers kill with machine guns the way our armies of educated students kill with words, texted, typed, or spoken. Their burnt villages are our empty churches. Their rampant diseases are our rampant greed. Their rebel gangs are our undisciplined youth.
What the world sees as blood painting their streets is no more evil than the blood painting our eyes.
They sell and slaughter bodies; we sell and slaughter souls. They watch the enemy abduct their children and make them into callous murderers; we watch the enemy abduct our children and make them into callous businessmen. Their evil men sling automatics over their shoulders and dangle human teeth around their necks. Our evil men hold doctorates in their hands and knot designer ties around their throats. They are unable to provide their people with jobs; we are unable to provide our people with meaning.
Africa kills its old people through poverty and the harshness of living. America kills its old people through neglect and the retardation of dying. In Africa, churches meet under tin and bamboo, meeting in danger of their lives. In America, churches meet under marble and stained glass, meeting in danger of their souls. Their diseases bury them under the ground. Our diseases bury us under paperwork. Their violence is splattered in blood and bodies on the streets; our violence is splattered in words and pictures on the Internet.
The only difference in our suffering is this: A doctor, if one could be found, could heal their wounds. A God, if one could be found, could heal ours. Why is Africa not begging for doctors? Why is America not begging for God? They say they believe in God but do not live under peace. We say we believe in peace but do not live under God.
Africa found simplicity, and it failed them. America found prosperity, and it failed us. They tell us we are sick with money; we tell them they are sick with AIDS. They belong in prison; we belong in counseling. We’ve both served our time and come out on the other side unchanged. We are both dying by the millions.
Why? Why are Africa’s physical evils such a mirror image of America’s spiritual evils? Why is their physical death our moral depravity? Why are the stomach-empty children in their cities echoes of the mind-empty children in our schools? Why do their soldiers wield machetes to the same affect that our educators wield lies? Why does senseless violence rule their streets as broken promises rule our homes?
WHY?
Because we have both forgotten God. Because God’s people, child by child, spanning every town, city, and village, have not thrown ourselves on our knees before God Almighty, repenting of our sins, and screaming out for God to hear and act.
We are busy; we are upset; we are dying. But we are not sorry.
