Our role against crime

Few of us carry an identification card saying we're FBI agents, but we're in the fight against crime nonetheless. For those of us who may have thought crime was out of our bailiwick: let us lift our lapel and shine up our law officer's badge. We have work to do.

"Why me?" you may ask. Because you are part of the world Christ Jesus came to rescue from sin and death -- and violence! Peace was one of Jesus' gifts to the world, but ironically, his peace is experienced sometimes through what humans call strife. It is strife to us because to gain Jesus' kind of peace requires that we put a stop to hating, to becoming irked or unsettled; not even indifference is acceptable. And that's hard for most of us to do.

Further, this peace requires an active love by all humans toward all humans under all circumstances, and that's even harder for most of us. President Ronald Reagan set a magnificent example when he expressed hope that his would-be assassin, who "seems to be a very disturbed young man," would soon get well. Asked if he didn't have any feeling of anger, the President answered, "I don't know how I could ask for help for myself and feel that way about someone else."

The spirit of Jesus' prayer on the cross is clearly seen in this -- "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do."n1 No anger or hatred there. Had there been, Jesus could never have furnished the demonstration of God's power over death and violence that he did. To Jesus, good had to have preponderance over evil. He knew that in reality good was supreme. An absolute certainty of this fact enabled him to make it practical in human living.

n1 Luke 23:34;

Mary Baker Eddy n2 speaks of this ascendancy of good in humans and of its effectiveness in diminishing crime. In her book Science and Health with Key to the Scripturesm she writes: "The good in human affections must have ascendency over the evil and the spiritual over the animal, or happiness will never be won. The attainment of this celestial condition would improve our progeny, diminish crime, and give higher aims to ambition." n3

n2 Mrs. Eddy is the Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science;

n3 Science and Health,m p. 61.

Thus our role against crime, not just locally but anywhere in the world, is seen in our letting good overcome evil, accepting the spiritual over the animal, in every moment of living. Knowing that man is the spiritual image and likeness of the all- good God (which he is, no matter what the five senses claim), puts us on a solid basis from which we can demonstrate divine peace.

If we feel the urge to loose a caustic comment against another, we will be aiding in diminishing crime in the world if we don't loose it. If we subdue an unjustly critical thought with a humane and helpful thought, that, too, will help reduce crime. If we, in one degree or another, are hating a nation for its unlawful acts toward another nation, and we change our view of the situation and realize God's unimpeachable government of His universe, we have lessened the likelihood of war, which is certainly a crime, and bettered mankind's hopes for peace.

Jesus didn't come to the world to shoulder the world's responsibilities. He came to reveal the Principle of man through which we can work out the ultimate powerlessness of evil and the supremacy of God's omnipotence.

The fight against crime requires this spiritual approach introduced by Christ Jesus. As each of us listens to the one divine intelligence and lives the most Christly life he can, we'll see peace spread.

So we can daily aid in the solution to crime by knowing and proving in some degree that all men and women in their true selfhood are governed by divine law alone. In reality all of us reflect brilliantly our Father-Mother God. DAILY BIBLE VERSE Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit. Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be co nverted unto thee. Psalms 51:10-13