you're a cannibal too

When I heard about some guy in Miami caught on camera literally eating another living person, I wanted to throw up. I thought to myself, ‘Welp, here we go; we are at that level now in the states’ (knowing fully that crazy, stomach turning occasions have been going on for as long as sand has existed). My vomitous reaction was quickly overcome by a sense of brutal, hot anger when I heard that people were cheering this flesh eating druggie because they thought it was cool that there was someone who acted like a zombie. (Please, if you are one of the foolish morons, don’t tell me.) I mean what is WRONG with you!? Do you realize that is a soul-filled human being who was created in the image of God—both of them? And the cannibal—induced by some weird drug—was shot to death like a rabid dog. After my blood vessels receded back to invisibility I trembled at a startling reality: nothing prevents me from being the homeless victim, the frightened policemen, the cheering video watcher, or the human eating deceased, except God’s mercy and grace.


I have amazing parents and family; wonderful friends constantly surround me; our cities—for the most part—are ruled with some order and some sense of justice—especially compared to some countries I’ve lived in. But to understand sin is to understand the evil which can become anyone. Sin is as toxic as Chernobyl.

Most of you won’t try and believe that you could eat someone’s face, that’s okay; it is a super disturbing thought. But know that you are not exempt from the terrors of becoming, of doing horrific acts against God and man. The ONLY thing which prevents you is the mercy and grace of our sovereign God restraining you. Nothing else. Not your little self-help, motivating books or sayings; not your smile; not your good nature (cause you truly don’t have one); not your logic; not your morals; not your focus; not your family; not your friends; not your church; not your devotions; not your prayers; not your teaching; not your learning; not your activities; not your good marriage; not your charity; not your yoga; not your ‘soft-heart;’ not your ‘sweet spirit;’ not your good kids; not discipline; not your discipleship; not your go-get-it attitude. Without God you have no hope at all. So stop pretending you do apart from him. Stop pretending ‘Oh I could NEVER do this or that’ because you could. The only thing restraining you is God’s grace and mercy.

I remember a part of Jesus’ life where he met a crazy guy who had demons inside of him. The man was living in a cave, exiled from his home-town. He was naked with broken chains still clinching his body; he had scars and festering wounds where he would cut himself—relieving his pain by destroying himself. Jesus healed him. Just like that. No one is outside the reach of God’s salvation, beyond the reach of true hope, of love. Not a cannibal, not you. In the disturbing and smile-dropping reality of life there is a hope greater than the gloom. Death and destruction do not have the final say, God does and he his kind and loving; wise and good; sovereign and just.