Years ago I came across a documentary about animals being
killed in South Africa. No one knew why
this strange phenomenon was happening until they discovered that young bull elephants
were using their new found adolescent energy to kill other animals. Why?
These bulls had no communitarian restraints on them and they were
violent. These young bulls had been
separated from the herd.
So biologists brought in a number of old bull elephants and
the testosterone of the young bulls dried up and they stopped killing other
animals. Once the young bulls were in
proper relationship with the old bulls that had more power and strength they
began to behave themselves. Independence from our communities can be a bad
thing.
Who is responsible in our communities to keep the
peace? Who is called to restrain the
violent ones of our communities?
In restorative justice, crimes are not done against the
state but against the victims of the crime and the community. So restoring relationships - community
becomes a part of the equation in the context of the community. The community is responsible for bringing
healing and peace when there has been conflict.
The perpetrators are required to own their offenses and apologize and
make their wrongs right. So the
elephants are to be dealt with by the elephant community, it is their problem,
but it affects the safety and well being of everyone in the community. Conflict is a community issue and perpetrators
are not marginalized to be only dealt with by the State-the criminal justice
system or wild life biologists! The experts can help but they are not the only
ones to solve this problem everyone must do their parts for peace to be
established and safety maintained in the community.
In Jeremiah 29:4-7 the Israelites are exhorted to pray and
work for peace. They are captives in a
foreign land but they are to work towards bringing welfare, prosperity, and
peace to their community. This is a
mission given by God. “And work for the
peace and prosperity of Babylon. Pray to
the Lord for that city where you are held captive for if Babylon has peace, so
will you.” Jeremiah 29:7 This was a violent time and those who conquered
others in battle were so very cruel, abusive and domineering. Yet Israel is called to work and pray for the
peace in this enemy culture. They live in this city where there was a
connection between everyone who lived there and peace would benefit all in the
context in which they lived.
Some of our city leaders got together for a press conference
to put forth a united front on peace in our city. As one of the leaders spoke they put the
focus on the media being the problem and how they amplified the violence of a
fringe element who are harmful to others.
As I thought about their response I thought it is their young elephants
that are doing a lot of damage and violence and they need to step up and not
deflect their responsibility in holding them accountable.
At the same time a woman I know from a white suburban church
talked with her pastor and said, “We as white people need to declare the
violence done by white racists is wrong.”
He agreed so the next Sunday they defined these behaviors as wrong in
front of the congregation, prayed for the victims and wrote letters of apology
to black pastors. I thought it took a
lot of grace and courage to do this. Who
wants to identify with badly behaving people of any people group and this
Presbyterian Church followed their Savior who identified with sinners even
though He was not a sinner and they were white but not racists. It is often easier to identify with the
victims than the perpetrators. However
all true believers know they are sinners or perpetrators and therefore need
God’s grace. These believers stepped up
and did the work. Is it our
responsibility to identify with our tribe and correct them when they misbehave
even when we don’t naturally relate or identify? Old elephants are still elephants even if
they do not act like young elephants.
Peace only comes in our communities when we make
peace and solve conflict by working towards the welfare of our
communities. Where are the bull
elephants that can correct their own kind and establish a healthy, peaceful
community?
