Like a city with its walls broken down is a man who lacks self-control.

Proverbs

This is a less cheery article than I usually like to have, but I think we sometimes have to talk about unpleasant things in order to do something about them. This unpleasant thing involves events that have been happening in the state in which I live, Texas. For several years now the border between our state and Mexico has been pretty much been opened up in order to let as many people who desire to come in. The ironic thing is that non-citizens wishing to cross over that same border in the other direction without permission are not only discouraged, but are treated as the criminals that they are.  In recent years, our state has been absolutely overrun in areas with these millions of criminals.

So, why aren't we doing anything about it, you may be wondering? In fact, our state law enforcement and government officials have done their best to prevent these lawbreakers from coming in, but they are failing miserably. Again, you may be wondering why, but the answer is clear and shockingly unapologetic: The criminals have an accomplice. So, why not do what we always do with accomplices to crime? And the answer will surprise some, but is all too familiar to those who are the victims. The accomplice in this case is no less of a power than the government of the United States of America! This, by the way is not something that they deny, so it is not a matter of opinion. They are proud of their complicity!

It has gotten to the point that when the state erects a wall, the federal government opens a hole in it. The Supreme Court recently ruled that they can, so they do. And now we have this ridiculous game of "chicken" where one side puts up walls, razor wire, and other barriers, while the other side pulls them down as soon as it has been done. Picture a situation in which your personal residence has been broken into numerous times in the past few years. Imagine some of your children being molested, others being beaten, some being killed. Your response is to build stronger doors with better locks, but then you find that your own police force is helping the criminals tear down your defenses.

What can you do? What do you do when the very people you pay to protect you have become the same people who participate in your harm?

There are several obvious answers, but none are pleasant. I'm not even going to try to address that side of the problem in this short article, but I will try to suggest a few things that I believe we should be thinking about. First, if we have enemies within the gates it is likely because we put them there. Second, if we want to avoid an all out war, then we should do our best to stop ignoring the fact that they are our enemy but that we still have some say as to whether they remain in positions of authority. Third, we can be a bit more cautious with the ones we put in to replace the enemy within. I'm not suggesting that this is easy, and we are all aware that it may not even be possible. But, like the example of our own homes and our own children, we need to at least try.

But before we can do any of this I think there is something we all need to think about very seriously: It is more than possible that the situation has occurred because we broke down our own walls of righteous defense and left ourselves exposed to the enemy. It happens every time we ignore God's laws and enter into sinful behavior. So the first thing we need to do before taking physical action is to repent! Physical walls often crumble because of neglect and the spiritual walls will fall for the same reason. I believe it has been our own sin - whether through intent or neglect - that have caused our spiritual walls to deteriorate, and so I believe it can only be repentance that we can begin to restore those walls. And once having repented, we can then implore God for His assistance. Given the extent of the sins of this nation, He may not come to our aid in the way that we hope - but He will come with the aid that is appropriate.

A nation that permits its children to be taught that we exist through some sort of cosmic accident rather than the intelligent design of a powerful Creator, has something to answer for. A nation that permits the Bible to be hidden while perversion is marched through its streets also has something to answer for. And a nation that has taken millions of the lives of the most innocent of our number because we have "chosen" to do so, really has no answer at all. 

We are distressed when we see our walls torn down in order to let criminals come in. Should God be any less distressed when we have torn down our own? It will not be easy, but we can do this. We can rebuild the walls of protection that are so desperately needed. But we have to stop merely complaining and start the building process. It will have to painstakingly be done brick by brick, and it will have to begin with that first brick. And even more importantly, it will have to begin with you.

I am sorry for the lack of encouragement so far, so let be just say this: Recovering from sin as wicked and pervasive as the ones we have been involved with in our nation has always difficult. So difficult in fact that most won't even try. But for those willing to do their part, God will help every step of the way. His grace is more expansive than even the worst of our sins, but He will only extend it on His terms. So let us meet those gracious terms by repenting of our foolish ways and stop tearing down our own walls. Then God will do His part because He loves us.

We are not without hope! Since that is a fact, let us begin the rebuilding process today. We can do this with God's help!