beauty in a wicked world

I don't watch the news. It's too depressing.

But yesterday, I had to watch. Late at night, I draped myself with blankets, keeping our cold basement at bay, and watched Larry King question the world, "What the hell happened?"

Experts like Dr. Phil hypothesized about potential psychological problems of the murderer--the one who executed nearly three dozen innocent on a frosty Virginia morning.

But nobody mentioned the fall.

Nobody acknowledged that something is wrong with the world.

With humanity.

With us.

In the aftermath of these events, for some, hope feels like a dream, a fairy tale, a myth.

I can't imagine the deep pain that will follow the wounds that have been inflicted.

Our hearts break over these tragedies, but still, those of us who hold onto the Hope of Redemption know, as Amos Lee sings, "Nothing is more powerful than beauty in a wicked world."