I come in Peace

Hello, my name is Colt Smith, and I’d like to share my story. 

They told me that I was created for a purpose; they sold me the biggest of dreams. They spoke of peace that has never been seen, and would be achieved by me. I would end world hunger, they told me. They molded me into the most perfect specimen; years they invested in me that I may deliver the hope of the world; peace, security, and prosperity. My training has been unmatched, there are none that have succeeded as much as me. There has been no equal to what I have achieved. There are untold millions that owe a debt of gratitude to me and successors. 

I remember my first assignment like it was yesterday. Mr. Sam came into my room and told me how proud he was of me. His smile lit up the whole room, from ear to ear was his smile. You are all that we had hoped you would be, he told me. 

My first assignment came and went without a hitch. I was sent in to bring the peace. I went out to a large crowd and waved, followed by a few words and the whole town became quiet. My creators were right, I said to myself. My first mission, and I had produced peace. Everyone was so excited at what the future held, gone are the days of chaos, I thought to myself.

But one day I was taken on a mission that revealed the purpose of my creation. I had traveled far to a little town that had much unrest. I thought that the day would go like so many assignments before, speak and wave to the crowd and all would be settled quietly. However, this crowd could not be reasoned with. As tempers flared and threats were made, there was a loud, explosive sound, followed by screams and the scattering of people. The chaos was soon calm, and I was assured that peace was found on this day because of my efforts. The images of that day haunted my dreams, so ingrained are they, like scars that never go away. 

I came home to a hero’s welcome, the band played and the mayor gave a great speech of what I had achieved. But his words seemed so shallow and empty, because his eyes had not seen what I had done. 

Years later, my work carried on. I traveled the world to bring rest to towns, cities, states, and countries that were filled with calamity. I was no longer timid about what I had to do, I had been bringing peace, security and prosperity, just as I was told. Jobs and been created as a result of my efforts, entire cities were built because of me. Untold fortunes have been made because of me. Prosperity should have been my name. I controlled the wealth of the world, because I had brought peace to it’s citizens. 

I was given many nicknames, but the one that I particularly enjoyed was, Justice. I brought low the tyrants and the barbaric men of the world. The men that would kneel to no one, kneeled to me. 

I was created to for a purpose you see, and my purpose was death. 

Where is the Hope

Where is the hope?

There is much confusion, much sin, much pain, wars, famine, plagues, death, mythical dragons that terrorize the lands. There is no conquering these great enemies. Who would dare to challenge such foes. The world is most assuredly cursed; but who, I wonder has brought about this seemingly unending curse. Is there no one, or no god that hears the cry of the people. 

Wars and rumors of more wars. Genocide runs rampant, and no one gives an ear to stop such tragedies. Oh, but some conquerer comes and claims peace, but only after thousands, or tens of thousands, or millions more are slaughtered. And yet,  this conquerer would dare to claim he has brought peace to the land. Thousands of widows, and orphans lay down their heads and cry as they wonder why they have no husband, father, grandfather. Yet some conquer would dare claim he has brought peace.  Does not the sword only bring death; does the sword bring healing, or only death? 

They are taken from their homes, and sold like chattel. The market ripe with buyers for the human product that they plan to use and reuse as they wish. Where is the one who would be justice to this great evil? 

They tell us they are feeding the poor, yet the poor remain hungry. The wealthy lay in their comfort, and claim they have helped the famine. 

A land so powerful, so wealthy that their pets are obese. The young boy who is so hungry he eats his beloved canine. 

A land so wealthy it spends billions giving their poor the luxuries its culture has come to accept as a birthright. 

When will the world be restored? Who dares to confront such atrocities? Is the no end?

Snapshot Community

With social media sites like Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, among many more, we have created a community of snapshots, which reveals what the user wants about their life. People are living their lives vicariously through their various online personas. I'm not talking about people who are creating fake usernames, although they exist too, but rather people who are embellishing their life narrative through social media.

When I got the idea to write on this subject, I just happened to listen to a morning radio show that was talking about this very idea (not exactly, but the subject at hand).  There was a young lady, who I am assuming is semi-famous that was complaining about her life. She said, "I just don't enjoy my life", and "I'm just existing".

Those statements were followed up by one of the radio hosts that said, "judging by your Facebook you seem to have an amazing life."

Those statements are the synopsis, or rather the totality of the problem existing within social media.

There are a variety of social media users. There is the depressed person who never seems happy. There is the happy person who never seems to have any issues. There is the overly successive person. The person who only promotes personal agendas, i.e. business, real-estate, etc.

Here's the real problem. People believe that they know someone simply because they follow them on social media. They believe they have a sense of the person's character, their family, their business, their romantic life--or lack thereof. Social media may be a community, however, it is largely a faux-community.

There simply isn't enough intimacy for there to be a real community, its simply not tangible enough to be real. Real community won't allow you to delete the person that has wounded you, betrayed you, lied to you. Real community requires you to deal with the real issues that are ever-present. Real community requires people to get to know the real you; the good, the bad, the ugly, the pain, the betrayal, the suffering, the beauty, and not simply the things that you want them to know about you.

Real community is a real family, and real families have real problems. As a general rule, no one gets into enormous battles with a total stranger. Why? Total strangers are incapable of wounding you the way a family member can, will, and do on a semi-regular basis.

True community is not a selfie showing the world how wonderful, or how horrible your life is. True community is a home video with the kids shaving the dog, and spray painting the priceless family heirloom; it requires repentance, and therefore forgiveness.  True community requires a deep commitment to love one another. True community is a true family.

Drift

Where can I run? Everywhere I turn is a dead-end. Every Road takes me to a place of despair.

Every spring that seems to be flowing with fresh water, is nothing more than a mirage.

Life has played a cruel hand. The burn from its sting is far worse than any yellow jacket. 10,000 hornets couldn’t bring this kind of pain.

There is no riddle that could bring this much confusion. The is no professor that can solve this equation.

Nowhere to run. Nowhere to hide. No one to rescue me from the swelling tide.

Deeper than the depths of the ocean. No anchor can reach the earth’s crust.

Left to drift in the open.