“Adam knew his wife Eve, and she became pregnant and gave birth to Cain. She said, “With the help of the Lord I have brought forth a man.” Later she gave birth to his brother Abel. Now Abel kept flocks, and Cain worked the soil. In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the Lord. And Abel also brought an offering—fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The Lord looked with favor on Abel and his offering, but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast. Then the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.” Now Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let’s go out to the field.” While they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him. Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?” “I don’t know,” he replied. “Am I my brother’s keeper?” Genesis 4:1-9

{“A police officer jumps into his squad car and calls the station. “I have an interesting case here,” he says. “A woman shot her husband for stepping on the floor she just mopped.” “Have you arrested her?” asks the sergeant. “No, not yet. The floor’s still wet.”} (Rose Mattix, Illinois)

There has been a rash of events called “Swatting” in our country – in fact last year there were hundreds. The most recent resulted in the death of a 28 year old father in Wichita, Kansas. “Swatting” is making a false call to the authorities, like reporting a shooting, or some other unfolding, threatening police event, hoping that the local SWAT Team will be called in. It is a hoax that often has deadly results. The most recent incident, where the 28 year old from Kansas was shot by authorities, was called in from California. I remember a quieter time in our country where if you needed to create some fun in your life, you might ring someone’s doorbell and run away. Or, you might fill a paper bag with cat poop and throw it on someone’s front porch. What has happened to us as a society? It is one thing to be angry at someone, it is another to dream up some scheme that might be frighteningly deadly to them, or to authorities.

Granted, Cain and Abel are not necessarily the best models for settling a disagreement, or resolving conflict. However, Adam and Eve could not call the local police department to help them resolve the argument between their sons. G-d was going to be the arbiter of justice and punishment. Our local and State and National police departments are under tremendous amounts of stress and danger in this early part of the 21^st century without the unnecessary, foolishness  of “Swatting” All police, first responders and other emergency personnel need our prayers in 2018.

Pastor Dave