See You at the Boston Marathon Next Year

Be Not AfraidPsalm 46:1-2

By Ron Buford and Donna Schaper

A Boston policeman, right after the blast, said, "I need all the lanes open here." He meant it. His wise, if exhausted, command goes straight to why we all need to run in the Boston marathon next year, and not in the violence marathon ever. Making sure we openly parade peace will effectively address the crisis of masculinity and the crisis of the gun and the bomb.

When the seas of chaos overwhelm the shores of our ordered lives, when words become meaningless, when the spilled blood of our children screams from city streets, piercing the ears of our still-listening God, we call upon our Refuge and Strength, who are already there in times of trouble, keeping the lanes open and refusing to be terrorized by terrorists.

Most of us know the "issues" are connected. Still we get pretty fuzzy when we actually lay the track for the trains to connect. Then along comes the Boston Marathon to lay the entire track for us. The connection is the capacity that some have to do violence and others do not. The Marathon can change to a place of fear or even more of a march for hope. The tracks cross in our decisions about our fears.

My social psychologist friend tells me that what we really need is effectuality. When we don't get that, we become violent. Refusing to be terrorized means insisting on being effective. See you next year in the open lanes.