June 20: ALIENATION

In this shocking event of children killing other children, the word often used to describe the perpetrator is “alienation”. The children feel alienated from their peers and act out their alienations with mass murder. The children act out their alienation by dressing strangely and running in gangs until it violently erupts.
The victims are usually those who are considered a part of the “in” crowd; the popular, the attractive, the known, the attention getters. Because of the tendency of youth to copy one another, we can expect more of these shocking events in the future..
There has never been a time when there are as many angry young people as now, those who feel left out of the normal or mainstream of life by the pacesetters. What can be done? Often the “haves” consciously alienate the “have nots” with laughing, teasing, bullying, or name calling. Christians are called to be the champions of the alienated.
Before our conversion, we were alienated from God. Paul said that when he was not a Christian he was separated from Christ, and alienated from those who had a promise and a hope from God. (Ephesians 2:12)
People without Christ in their hearts are described as “darkened in their understanding and separated (alienated) from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. (Ephesians 4:18 NIV)
It is not hard to understand why entertainers who “act-out” alienation sing songs about feelings of alienation and enjoy immense popularity among an alienated generation. Suffering from feelings of alienation? Come to Jesus! Listen: “Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. But now He has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in His sight, without blemish and free from accusation.” (Colossians 1:21-22 NIV)
Are you feeling alienated? Know someone who feels alienated? There is acceptance in Jesus Christ.

“God who is our Friend, speak to us again about how You have included us
in Your plans for the world and that it is ok for us to come home to You. Amen”