Our media has recently been full of news stories reporting rampant murders, gang shootings, knife attacks, robberies, suicides, domestic violence and sexual assaults, on and around King George Boulevard, where NightShift serves. When Terror pushes its way into our homes and neighbourhoods it makes everyone pay. It creates a tsunami that smashes over innocent victims, their families and the surrounding community, leaving agony and heartache in its wake.

The perpetrator is Evil. A Bully. “It comes to steal and kill and destroy.” (John 10:10)

It threatens our well-being and floods our hearts with fear. It forces us to scan our terrain when we venture outside or keeps us cocooned inside to protect our safety.

Our shouts for justice fill the air. Our accusations take aim at police and city officials demanding law and order. But sadly our well-intentioned pleas can’t reverse the injustice or extradite the wickedness.

But our actions can. Individually and collectively we can made a difference. God has given us the power to retaliate against this bully by using the opposite spirit – Love.

“God didn’t give us a spirit that makes us weak and fearful. He gave us a spirit that gives us power and love…” (2 Timothy 1:7)

Love ‘shifts’ the atmosphere. It touches hearts. It soothes pain. It brings peace to chaos.

Not long ago, I witnessed this Love in action.

An elderly man, undoubtedly struggling with life, lay on the grass in a deep slumber just steps away from where I had parked by car. As I slid into my driver’s seat, my eyes caught a woman shuffling along the sidewalk pushing a shopping cart. She stopped unexpectedly, reached into her meagre bag, and silently bent over the snoring gentleman, and ever so gently balanced a muffin on a bag lying next to him! He was as oblivious to her presence as she was to mine. I could almost feel her heart smile.

I was so impacted by this Love in action; I had to capture it in a photograph. As I drove away, I pondered to myself what the world would be like if everyone performed one small act of loving kindness, such as this, to a stranger every day. It would conquer evil. It would eliminate fear. It would usher peace back into our communities.

“Love is patient. Love is kind. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices in the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, and always perseveres. Love never fails.”
(1 Corinthians 13)

Love wins out – all of the time! Our actions can force back the powers of evil. Love can enforce lasting change. What are we waiting for?