Katrina's
chaos has revealed both the fury of nature and the
character of humanity. Howling winds and driving rain
produced one kind of devastation. Marauding thugs,
opportunistic looters, and gun-toting thieves have made
the bad all the worse.
Yes,
Federal relief efforts were too little, too slow. Yes,
the rush to release oil reserves for the rest of the
country while people died in the unsanitary Superdome is
a blightful
indictment.
On
the flip side, thousands have volunteered to travel to
the stricken area and support the sufferers. Millions of
dollars have been given by generous people in
supermarkets and sporting arenas.
We've
seen the worst ... and the
best.
We
are stunned by the descent of New Orleans. In three days
it changed from a bustling, prosperous, urban metropolis
into a desperate, unhinged,
watery wasteland.
This
devastating experience - with a vast, unconfirmed death
toll - drives home our own mortality and weakness. What
takes years to build can be overwhelmed in moments. Our
confidence cannot ultimately be in the work of our
hands, but in the hands of our
Creator.
But
we also get a vivid reminder of human nature. The law
continues to be a necessary restraint for evil, which
finds full expression amidst
disaster.
On
a much smaller scale, the damage of the hurricane
reminds us how quickly destruction can come - not just
from nature's elements, but even among us. The goodwill,
generosity, and cooperative spirit among some people is
matched by the hostility and aggression that lies just
beneath the surface in
others.
The
aftermath of Katrina confronts us with the fickleness of
our humanity, and challenges us to embrace a faith that
can sustain
us.
As
people disperse from Louisiana and Mississippi to all
parts of the country - many with nothing but the shirt
on their backs - they stand as a beacon to the rest of
us. Their message is not related to building stronger
and bigger homes, but building the inner person to
withstand any storm that ravages. Such building of
character and faith cannot be accidental. It flows from
thoughtful preparation and intentional
application.
As
we've seen with Katrina's chaos, the storm is no
respecter of persons. The wealthy and the poor were all
rendered homeless. Both blacks and whites lost
everything. Irrespective of race, status, or
circumstances, we all share a common
need.
If
any of life's storms displaced us tomorrow -
geographically, socially, and emotionally - how would we
fare? Paul wrote, "We do not lose heart, for though our
outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being
renewed day by day." (2 Cor
4.16)
Is
that true for
you?