Audio Transcript

Recently we’ve received a lot of feedback from people about our articles and podcasts on safety and what to do about crime in our city.  Some have been appreciative of the fresh perspective, and others have pointed to the crime we continue to see, even this week, as proof of the continuing problem — the cycle of hopelessness.

On our phone and in our inboxes, we see and read about things happening daily. We see embolden criminals risking their own lives and the lives of others for just a few dollars. And, we wonder what they value — they certainly don’t seem to value the lives of others, much less their own.

Yet — as we have learned from Willie Baldwin and Andy Kizzee last week — there is much hope for breaking the cycle of poverty and crime in Binghampton and in our city.

Willie and Andy gave us many reasons to have hope for our city, but many of us and the people we care for do not have much hope for the future of our city.

What do you think is the key difference for those who see hope and light in these difficult times and those who see predominantly despair and darkness?

And most importantly— what are steps we can take to help make our city safer — to see more people flourish?

Those are not only important but urgent questions  — questions one every one of us is wrestling with in some way.

I really think the answer for how we view and what we do about these difficult matters — especially around the cycle of poverty and crime comes down to how we view and value life.

All People Have Infinite Value

Do we see all people as made in God’s image? Male and female He made them — in the image of God with infinite value (Genesis 1:26-28)! All people have this value because all people are created by God and for the glory of God (Romans 11:36).

Whenever we are tempted to judge or take advantage of another person we must stop and ask ourselves — do I value the life of that person equally to the way I value my own life and the lives of those I know and love?

An Image Bearer Killed For Less Than $100!

When I was in college, some friends and I witnessed a murder at a convenience store. That was a frightening experience, and what stuck out most to me, my friends, and even the local paper was how little the murderer valued the life of the clerk that was working late that night. The door to the store had a sticker on it that said, “Safe in use — never more than $100 in cash register.”

Despite the sign, the robber bought a piece of gum to see how the register worked, blew the clerk's head off, and then tried to take the $100 or less that was in the safe before fleeing the scene.

Did that take place in Memphis or New Orleans? Maybe Detroit or Chicago? No, that event happened just outside Franklin, Tennessee. Franklin was and remains one of the “safest” areas to live in our country.

So what does that have to do with crime in Memphis?  We all understand that criminals — especially those willing to murder — don’t value life the same as we do.

But, is that really true? Sure, we value our own lives and the lives of those we love, but do we value all lives? When we see headlines of criminals being released, are we just outraged over our safety or do we also care about their lives?

Yes, receiving punishment for a crime committed may be best for them and our city.  However, if they are not guilty, an unjust process can lead to disastrous consequences. The value of their lives should affect how we think, pray and even how we act toward all people.

Do We Value All Neighborhoods The Same?

All the neighborhoods in our city are all full of God’s image bearers. If we want to break the cycle of poverty, we have to realize that — we have to pray and move to action for our neighbors.

God’s  word tells us:

• Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ – Galatians 6:2

• Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. – Philippians 2:3-4

You might ask, if I am doing this for my own family, friends, and neighbors do I really need to get involved in other neighborhoods?

I believe that if we want to see less crime, we have to work toward helping more people flourish — we have to work across barriers and cross the divide. If we stay in our own neighborhoods and just put up cameras and walls or move out of the city, we will create a larger divide. We need to reach across the divide — across the city — to love all our neighbors. In reducing the divide we will reduce crime and increase flourishing.

Jesus defines neighbor perfectly in the parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37). In the parable, it was the enemy that helped. Jesus makes clear that those who know Jesus need to help those who are different than themselves. Martin Luther King Jr commented on this parable by saying the key thing to ask whether you should involve yourself is, “What will happen to them if I don’t help?”  

We should all ask ourselves, What happens to our neighbors and neighborhoods if we avoid the poor, fatherless, and disenfranchised?

Jesus gives strong encouragement and dire warning to live this way:

• Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me. – Matthew 25:40

Yet for those who don’t help, who say, “Lord we never saw you in need”, eternal punishment is promised. It’s kind of terrifying — go read Matthew 25:31-36 for yourself!

This is why Jesus said:

• Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. – Matthew 10:28

Practical Steps

Life is a response to the gifts we’ve been given… and doing the very same things for others that God has done for us — this is where we will find the highest meaning and purpose. This is where we will find true life.

How do we make this practical?  We already know what to do for our loved ones; how do we take God’s word and help break the cycle of poverty?  

With the goal of helping the people of our city flourish, consider these steps about what to do next.

1. Take the biggest fear you have about safety in our city, name it, and pray about it.
2. Pray about the burden God is placing on your heart and prepare to act.
3. Consider the root cause — is it education, reading, drugs, children without good role models, poor lighting, lack of encouragement, lack of good jobs, etc, and pray.
4. Consider how God would have you act, and act to help break the cycle.

If you want to dig deeper and read more I highly recommend reading Practicing the Kings Economy, by Michael Rhodes, Robby Holt and Brian Fikkert. Even calling the solution the “value key” is based on the influence of that book.

Of course, meaningful change starts with prayer, but it moves to action that values all people and all neighborhoods. Check out the article in the show notes and watch the video of Willie Baldwin from Eikon Ministries and Andy Kizzee from Binghamton Business Hub for even more ideas.

And of course The Center is here to help you.

Resources

Memphis - Should I Stay Or Should I Go?

Changed To Be Change Agents | Willie Baldwin & Andy Kizzee

Practicing The King's Economy by Michael Rhodes and Robby Holt with Brian Fikkert