Pastor's Corner
June, 2002
Last month I was sharing with you the criminal case of Mr. Junta who killed the father of one of the boys on his youth hockey team. His uncontrolled emotions led to an explosion of anger that resulted in a disaster. Therefore, don’t take your emotional condition lightly. Anger needs to be defused in a healthy manner; depression needs to be taken care of by finding the root problem. God is the ultimate answer to having peace within, but one may also need help from other sources.
This month, I would like to continue sharing with you another important application that sprang from this case. On the day of sentencing, I remember the boy of the deceased said, “I ask you (the sentencing judge) to punish him to a maximum sentence because he took my father away.” How sad it was for both families! Now, I’m not criticizing the boy for making that request. Not at all! I’m sure it was hurtful for him to never see his father again. I sympathize with the boy. But the fact remained unchanged: From something that was supposed to bring fun and development of discipline in youth sports, two families with young boys suddenly found their fathers taken away, one forever and the other for a few years. Life would never be the same for both families. Imagine how Mr. Junta’s son felt when his “friends” call him “son of a murderer.” No one would know how his emotions would be affected. He might turn into a person full of hatred, either hating his father or the people with unkind words. Either way, this experience would change him forever. I pray that he will receive good Christian counseling. While the rest of the world continues its course, there would be no more interested reporters knocking on their doors or checking up on how the boys are doing. These two families are left alone facing insurmountable challenges.
For unknown reason, I was very attached to this case. Maybe I have heard so many people say, “I know what I’m doing. If it is wrong, I’ll bear my own consequences.” So often, our actions create a ripple effect that affect more people than we could ever imagined. This case clearly tells us that it is not as simple as we think to “just” bear our own consequences, because the ripple effects shock the people around us. True, we can’t unscramble scrambled eggs; things in the past must be let go. But knowing how deep and wide the consequences of our actions can impact, it is all the more important reason to slow down and to make better choices. It would better be safe than sorry.
Before I sign off, I’d like to share with you from the Bible. It says, “Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.” God will not interfere with your decision. Instead of sowing to reap destructive consequences, why don’t you response to His love by sowing to reap eternal life by surrendering to Jesus.
Pastor Larry
