Kailash Satyarthi, an Indian author and activist once remarked: “Today it is time for every child to have a right to life, right to freedom, right to health, right to education, safety, the right to dignity, right to equality, and right to peace.” Psalm 91:1-5 reminds us: “He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with his pinions, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness is a shield and buckler. You will not fear the terror of the night, nor the arrow that flies by day.”
Safety is defined as the condition of being protected from or unlikely to cause danger, risk, or injury. One of the prominent concerns of all good parents or responsible citizens is probably the safety of their family. But how can this be achieved with certainty in the current climate where so much conflict and aggression is in evidence in the world? As we view pictures of atrocities or needless death in war-torn countries inflicted on so many, by their aggressors, we may wonder if this is at all feasible.
God’s ideal world is not one of uncertainty or fear, it is one of peace and tranquillity. People should try to live in harmony with each other. Freedom, combined with security, to allow unrestricted movement to all, should always exist. Constraints or limitations, which may adversely be imposed, should be diminished. Romans 8:1-4 confirms: “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.”
The problem with conflict is that it can easily escalate into war. It can invoke uncertainty or fear into another which, in turn, causes an in-built defense mechanism to erupt. No one wants to feel dominated or controlled by another without due cause or need, and as such, may feel the necessity to defend. It is a question of self-survival or protection which is a basic human instinct. However, for an aggressor, a defense could be deemed as retaliation and a readiness to fight for a homeland with every available tool or helper.
Defense is not seen in God’s eyes as war-mongering. It is considered as an act of self-protection. It is a natural right. 1 Peter 3:15 confirms: But in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect,
Safety and protection of all is God-given. We may need to be prepared to fight for freedom, the right to keep what we own, or the right to live in peace in an area that we love and are happy in, if we don’t, then what have we got left? Everything that we consider ours will be lost to another. Exodus 22:1-15 reminds us: “If a man steals an ox or a sheep, and kills it or sells it, he shall repay five oxen for an ox, and four sheep for a sheep. If a thief is found breaking in and is struck so that he dies, there shall be no bloodguilt for him, but if the sun has risen on him, there shall be bloodguilt for him. He shall surely pay. If he has nothing, then he shall be sold for his theft.
If the stolen beast is found alive in his possession, whether it is an ox or a donkey or a sheep, he shall pay double. “If a man causes a field or vineyard to be grazed over, or lets his beast loose and it feeds in another man's field, he shall make restitution from the best in his own field and in his own vineyard. “If fire breaks out and catches in thorns so that the stacked grain or the standing grain or the field is consumed, he who started the fire shall make full restitution. “If a man gives to his neighbor money or goods to keep safe, and it is stolen from the man's house, then, if the thief is found, he shall pay double. If the thief is not found, the owner of the house shall come near to God to show whether or not he has put his hand to his neighbor's property. For every breach of trust, whether it is for an ox, for a donkey, for a sheep, for a cloak, or for any kind of lost thing, of which one says, ‘This is it,’ the case of both parties shall come before God. The one whom God condemns shall pay double to his neighbor.
“If a man gives to his neighbor a donkey or an ox or a sheep or any beast to keep safe, and it dies or is injured or is driven away, without anyone seeing it, an oath by the Lord shall be between them both to see whether or not he has put his hand to his neighbor's property. The owner shall accept the oath, and he shall not make restitution. But if it is stolen from him, he shall make restitution to its owner. If it is torn by beasts, let him bring it as evidence. He shall not make restitution for what has been torn.
“If a man borrows anything of his neighbor, and it is injured or dies, the owner not being with it, he shall make full restitution. If the owner was with it, he shall not make restitution; if it was hired, it came for its hiring fee.”
These verses explain the principles of unified and harmonized living. They show examples of how one should treat others with respect and equal importance. Greed or avarice should never take prominence in an attempt to covet the possessions of others and their resources. Those who may be considered to be less fortunate or wealthy than us need help to enhance fruitfulness and to raise the general standards of living. They do not need the power of domination to rule their lives.
Evil actions will never win over good and peaceful intentions. God’s primary concern as a good and responsible Father to His children will always be one of safety and protection. Henry B. Eyring, an American administrator and author once remarked: Our Heavenly Father loves us. He sent His Only Begotten Son to be our Savior. He knew that in mortality we would be in grave danger, the worst of it from the temptations of a terrible adversary. That is one of the reasons why the Savior has provided priesthood keys so that those with ears to hear and faith to obey could go to places of safety.”
Courage and strength will always be found in the most adverse of conditions, with the help of God, to defeat the foe. These are the enemies of mankind. The enemy of everything that is good and righteous. Joshua 1:9 confirms: “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
Amen.
