I have been thinking about the riots, the burnings, and the destruction lately, and certainly the loss of lives as well. Such wickedness. These actions demonstrate a violent release of anger, hate, and destruction that shows intense disregard for property, the hard-working American victims and the system which we are all trying to preserve.

Much of the time, I seek diversion in this column. Heavens knows, we all need to laugh and take a break now and then. We also crave good news that comforts the human condition.

Our hearts these days are sick and worried, and we obviously know that something is very wrong. Sometimes the answers are right in front of our eyes, and we don’t see them. We resort to our own thoughts, emotions, and intellect. We become confused. 

Let’s get unconfused, shall we?

There are some attributes mentioned often in the Bible that have no restrictions; against which there is no law. These attributes will not get anyone into trouble, nor cause the enactment of laws prohibiting the exercise of these characteristics. These are given by the Holy Spirit, and yes, we can all be partakers, if we so choose. 

They are known as the “fruits of the Spirit’ and are found in Galatians 5:22-23. These fruits are explained in scripture where Jesus tells us in John 15:5 that He is the vine, and we are the branches; that we are so connected to Him when we know Him that we bear the fruits from that vine. And those fruits? They are love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance, against these there is no law. He identifies the ‘bearers’ of these fruits as Christians. They are peace makers.

Are we witnessing these fruits in the violence on the streets of the large cities right now? 

Here’s my point. Matthew 7:17 tells us that we will know them by their fruit. Every good tree brings forth good fruit, but a corrupt tree brings forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot produce evil fruit, and an evil tree cannot produce good fruit. 

Does anybody here think that killing, maiming, burning, looting, and destroying is in any way a fruit of the vine? And are these angry, temper-driven, bullies, giving us clues?  

Yes, I believe they are. Would you call these folks good trees or evil trees? I leave that decision to the wisest counsel I can find; the Bible. 

Are we witnessing love, joy, peace, longsuffering, faith?  Or do we see iniquity; envyings, murdering, drunkenness, hatred, strife, wrath, emulations, variance? 

The Bible has a promise for these ones. “They that do such things will not inherit the Kingdom of God.”  (Galatians 5:21)

I didn’t say that. The Bible does.

The ones who are doing this are not friends, folks. They are evil doers, and they are corrupt to the core. Oh, one can throw in a few naïve dummies in there, but the jury is out, and the verdict for these ideologies, agendas, and purposes is decided.

I rest my case. 

Judi Tabler lives in Pawnee County and is a guest columnist for the Great Bend Tribune. She can be reached at juditabler@gmail.comor juditabler@gmail.com juditabler@gmail.com