Christian Living

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Larry Lilly's Letter Monday July 14, 2008

The headline in the Indianapolis Star reports that Officer Jason Fishburn is making progress, enough for surgeons and a host of specialist to attempt to evaluate the extent of damage to his brain after suffering a gunshot wound to his head while pursuing a man wanted on a murder warrant.

Churches all around the region joined in prayer for Officer Fishburn. Hopefully our prayers will be answered. I don't really know Jason, though I met him when he was but a child. I do know his father and uncles and grandmother. His father is a police officer with many years of service. His uncles, Allen, Steve, Tim, have long been involved in their communities in a myriad of ways. Upstanding people giving life a good effort.

The accused shooter, Brian Reese appears as different from Jason as dark from the day. A crime record beginning very early in his life, about age 20, Brian has set a blazing trail of utter disregard for the life, limb and property of the rest of society. And strangely, he is to be charged with the same crime as his father in the murder of Clifford Haddix. Brian's mother is also charged with obstruction of justice due to her attempt to help Brian escape.

On one side, you have the Fishburn family with lifelong records of meaningful service to the community at large exemplified by Jason's IMPD service, and on the other, apparently a history of violence as per the Reese family.

The contrast in the two families brings to the fore the question; does violence run in families? Is there a so called criminal gene? I for one opt for the criminal gene. But wait, don't bail out until you hear me out.

The so called criminal gene runs in all families, for it is traceable to our progenitor, Adam and then through the line of Seth to Noah and on down the line. This gene, this propensity to go against God's way is not manifested in violence alone, but in any number of genetic drives to consistently go head to head with God while kidding ourselves that we are only a sort of Don Quixote fighting for some imagined right.

That Homo Sapiens struggle with the concept of right and wrong is universal and how each of us will live our life is, ultimately a matter of personal choice. Jason Fishburn chose to serve his fellow human beings through service in the uniform of a police officer. Brian Reese chose to serve himself in the guise of criminal acts against God and man. The reason crime seems to run in families as suggested by a study in an Ivy League university is simply many who are exposed to an environment of crime, make the personal choice at some point in their life to continue the family tradition. Biblically speaking, environment is never an excuse; for we all started out in a perfect environment as the human race.

Joshua, the successor to Moses invited the people of Israel to make a choice concerning whom they would serve. He pointed out severe consequences if they chose to serve themselves in the guise of other "gods." World history, biblical history and personal history combine to teach us in flaming letters; each choice brings a plate of consequences, good or bad, based on the nature of the choice.

Certainly people with common sense are praying for the full recovery of Officer Jason Fishburn. And certainly sensible people are praying for Brian Reese to experience the fullest severity of the law relating to his choice that placed a young police officer in the shadow of death. And furthermore; sensible Christians are praying for the conversion of Brian Reese, all the while knowing the choice really is Brian's for the making.

Larry Lilly Copyright © 2008 Use with credit.

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