Article June 25, 2018 Issue

Safety amid violent conflict

Brian Kissock

Originally published in The Christian Science Monitor’s Christian Science Perspective column, March 27, 2018.

People around the world have been galvanized into considering what can be done to face up to both gun crime and terrorism. Young folk have been energized to march in cities demanding action. Leaders and organizations have advocated for various solutions.

Amid the important conversations taking place along those lines, I’ve found there is great value in another way to consider safety and protection. Recent events have returned my thought to the dark days of what were euphemistically termed “the Troubles” during the late 20th century in Northern Ireland, when thousands were killed and thousands more injured. Personally, I was held at gunpoint twice, and several stores I owned were bombed. I am grateful to have survived those years.

What brought me comfort and, I believe, protected me was a desire to better understand what could be termed God’s laws of safety and protection. Almost every day I prayed with ideas contained in the Bible such as this one: “Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness” (Isaiah 41:10).

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