By Dr. Lawrence Butler, The Bridge Church, Pembroke.
After decades of a downward trend in crime, many are now wondering if we have embarked on a major reversal of that era. In Baltimore during one month there were 43 homicides, the deadliest month since 1972. In Houston, TX, murders were up by 45% through April of a recent year. Milwaukee has experienced a 103% jump in murders when compared from year over year. Atlanta had an increase of 52% of crime over a previous year.
In addition to the deaths of our citizens, those charged with the duty of protecting us have come under extreme criticism. Some of it may be warranted, most of it probably is not. There have been 83 officers killed in the line of duty in one year alone. On occasion they have been targeted and killed while simply doing their duty. One Texas lawman was assassinated at a gas station while wearing his uniform, the gunman standing over him and emptying his gun into the officer’s body. There apparently was no provocation by the policeman.
One former New York detective has speculated that the uptick in crime may be somewhat related to the police being less assertive. When police pride has been taken away, they are called racist, and fearful of prosecution because of some slight misstep revealed by someone’s video, then law enforcement will probably not go the extra mile. Some officers have said that they are reluctant to engage in actions that could be misinterpreted on cellphone cameras.
What does the Bible say about all of this? (2Ti 3:1) “This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.” Couple the instability of the world’s economies with the dangers of terrorism, and one can easily conclude that our world is indeed quite a dangerous place. That is the very meaning of perilous – “hazardous or dangerous.” Remember the future crime wave our Lord told us of in the last book of the Bible: (Rev 9:20-21) “And the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues yet repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship devils, and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and of wood: which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk: Neither repented they of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts.” Let us watch and pray because our Lord will soon come!