Proverbs 1:8-19 KJV
(8) My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother:
(9) For they shall be an ornament of grace unto thy head, and chains about thy neck.
(10) My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not.
(11) If they say, Come with us, let us lay wait for blood, let us lurk privily for the innocent without cause:
(12) Let us swallow them up alive as the grave; and whole, as those that go down into the pit:
(13) We shall find all precious substance, we shall fill our houses with spoil:
(14) Cast in thy lot among us; let us all have one purse:
(15) My son, walk not thou in the way with them; refrain thy foot from their path:
(16) For their feet run to evil, and make haste to shed blood.
(17) Surely in vain the net is spread in the sight of any bird.
(18) And they lay wait for their own blood; they lurk privily for their own lives.
(19) So are the ways of every one that is greedy of gain; which taketh away the life of the owners thereof.

The rural areas and small country areas are only get a small taste of what city experience everyday in their streets in some of the larger cities of our world. Most Americans only hear the reports of evil and everyone probably sees some evil sometime in their life. Yet the gang violence though it exist everywhere to some degree, it quiet in many communities of what these groups do. Yet the cops and military are fully aware. It is amazing looking back of what I knew existed in my own community and other areas I lived in. Yet when I think back if I knew it then what is it like today. I want to pretend the world is becoming safer, yet in reality as crazy people begin to shoot at the innocent people of our society in areas never seen gun violence before, one has to ask is violence getting worse.

Solomon instruction to avoid those that seek blood, that seek violence. Not to hang out with those that seek trouble. It only takes one crime for you to become a part of a bad group of people. It only takes one crime to begin to hide the evil. It only takes one bullet to end a life. It only takes one bullet shot in a good or bad neighborhood to begin a street war. If innocent is killed then what?? It makes the headlines of every national paper across our land. Tell us that violence in America is bad and gun laws need to be stricter, no gun laws only hurt those who feed their families on wild game.

There is a point Solomon advice was good over thousands and thousand of years ago it is good today. Yet do our young people know the Bible that are into evil ways. Do the adults know their scripture did they hear the word of God. Many never know what is in the little black book that sits on a shelf in their home. Never tell ther kids to stay away from evil. Some just expect them to know it. It is true that violence can be an effect of poverty, but not always sometimes it is a simple feud of territory, protection money, greed and just people being evil. The lure of the gangs of robin hood and his merry men, seeking to rob and steal from the rich land up steal from the poor because they know not what a real diamond is.

To teach our young people not to get into mischief, but to get into positive activities that are healthy for the mind and for the soul. The tea parties of 1800’s might not work with some today, or even in some circles. Yet doing something besides twiddling one’s thumbs that is positive is a plus. Children hide their heads in books and take on the road of learning only to find themselves pregnant or their girlfriend pregnant as teens and going down a road because someone never told they could say no to sex. Someone kills their neighbor because no one said do not hang out with those that carry guns, or seek revenge on everyone that hurts them.

Saying no to violence does not mean you can not become a victim, it means you taking a stand not to be a participant in the act of evil. Nothing wrong with self defense, but seeking revenge is. How far can a person go, before the realization of violence is wrong. Only thing that will work is the knowledge of a God and His wrath on world of evil, plus understanding of the law and respect for it. Can you say no to evil people?

Dear Heavenly Father help the world to understand that revenge and evilness of violence has not changed in centuries. The Tea parties of the eighties might not work, but your word never changes and holds the key to saying no. Keep us to retain the wisdom of your word. In Jesus precious name, Amen.