Between the Ends: April 26, 2016

A world evolving badly

Many years ago, as our children were growing up and the digital world was still in it’s infancy, Debbie and I were determined to put toys and activities in front of our kids that were designed to nurture their creativity, build their problem solving abilities, and counteract the mind numbing effects of a steady diet of only television. With that in mind, they received “Lego’s” for Christmas presents, were required to take piano lessons, and were restricted in the amount of computer access they could have. One game both of our boys enjoyed was “Sim-City”. Its premise was that you were in charge of building a city; laying out its dimensions, creating the industries and amenities it would offer, and determining how the culture would function. Josh and Daniel loved playing the game and would spend hours creating their own cities; cities as you might guess, vastly different from one another in their makeup.  

Unfortunately, that is the burden that Cain was saddled with but in his case, he was a murderer, now without a home, and soon,, a husband and father without a purpose, or spiritual legacy. He was as it is said, a “man without a country,” and more importantly, no God in his life, with which to give him a vision, or hold him accountable. When we throw off God’s accountability, we’re left with ourselves as the sole authority for our behavior, and honestly, that is often discouraging, and aways dangerous. In Cain’s case, he marries and then builds a city, and with those two actions, the secular world was born; from then on, it will pose a threat to the blessings and potential that can come to culture when God is exalted, His wisdom sought after, and His authority respected. 

With Cain, all were left with is, “Sin-City.” 

MJC