M.I.A.

A flurry of recent events leads to me write about another important subject today.  Over the past week or so, much has been discussed about people who are said to be missing.  It seemed to begin last week when National attention came to a flying saucer shaped balloon found zipping through the Colorado skies, potentially with a 6-year old boy trapped inside.  That actually turned out to be a hoax.  After last Saturday, it was learned that another Virginia Tech student turned up missing, having attended a concert at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville.  Nearly a week later, authorities are still looking for leads and trying to find Morgan Harrington.  A 7 year old girl from Florida went missing last Monday, though tragically her body was found a couple of days later in a Georgia land field.  News of another missing young girl in Missouri led me to think even more about a very important subject, often related to tragedy:  MISSING IN ACTION!

It is a terrible feeling to have lost something or someone and be faced with that void in your life.  Which of us has not lost some paper where we had written an important message or some valuable, like our wallet or purse, at some point in our life?  Often, there is panic followed by a more diligent search to somehow locate the missing item.  How much more is this feeling magnified when it comes to missing a person?  Most parents have some idea of the feeling that comes when their child is not found where they are expected to be.  Priorities suddenly change to focus attention on finding the missing person.  When a soldier goes missing, particularly on the battlefield, the remainder of the battalion will focus on finding or rescuing that soldier who went missing in action.

Looking at this even more broadly, one can come to see how important each of us becomes in the lives of those around us.  Even when some are not as accepted as they should be by others around them, there is still an acceptance of their being around.  When one in any group goes missing, there is a void.  There is also a void that may be less realized at the time, when any of us fail to act as we should in any given circumstance.  If we are not thoughtful and purposeful about the ways that we live, we can easily fall into a sense of complacency or even cynicism about life.  The effect of this is that in reality we are missing the way we should be living or you could say, missing in action.

Personally, I have been negatively impacted by this M.I.A. reality in our society.  I am writing about at least 10 gaps I have found to be missing throughout the society and focusing on 10 key Lessons To Be Learned.  As human beings, we all will have some kind of emotional response to the injustices and tragedies around us.  Our response means much less unless it is followed by action in service.  One of the first blog articles I wrote back on 04-29-08 (“GROWTH…From Compassion to ACTION”) discusses this in more detail.  Though I have been physically M.I.A over the past week due to a bout with what was likely the H1N1 flu, I have continued to act and interact with others in as many ways as possible.  I am looking for and working toward a time when there will be far less people who are said to be missing in action!

Friend, there was ONE Who was found to have come to this earth to seek and to save that which was lost (Luke 19:10).  Jesus Christ took action to make it possible for us to be reconciled to GOD.  He was crucified, but not found missing in action, since He defeated death.  He now acts in intercession for all those who come to GOD by Him (Hebrews 7:25; 1 John 2:1, etc.).  He calls each believer to a ministry of reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:18ff).

Be reconciled to GOD and be helping others be reconciled as well.  Don’t be found M.I.A.!