To follow up to my two previous posts regarding policing and racism…

One thing people want is outreach and community involvement – the police to be involved in the community, not just patrolling and making stops.

In some cities, community outreach in this form is noticed and it does happen. Some feel that there’s not enough. What’s the measure of “enough” though?

Another thing people want is mental health awareness, advocacy and funding. Absolutely. Mental health has become more of a topic in recent decades, I’d say. Where is this coming from? Any ideas? If I had to guess, it stems from lack of education, again.

It’s not really the police officers job to combat mental health, even though they are the ones most likely on scene in a crisis. They are usually trained in some way to handle these issues, to de-escalate, and more so if they hold a degree in criminal justice. There are some officers that they bring in for a mental health crisis to talk with, when someone is about to jump off a bridge, for example, and they need to talk them off the ledge. Unfortunately, that’s happened many times around here.

What about other kinds of outreach? How are we reaching out to the lost? The completely lost, needing a Savior, come to Jesus moment? Wouldn’t that help better our communities? Wouldn’t that help people consult Jesus and His teachings, grasp the need for repentance?

May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.

Ephesians 3:19

I don’t have all the answers, merely suggestions I’ve thought over for weeks in my room crying and praying for relief over our nation. Things are not simple in this world. Things should have been… it all started with one rule and then we as humans fell short.

We fall short ever single day. Falling short doesn’t mean we can’t get back up and persevere. We can make a difference ~ it starts with ourselves and taking a deep look at our hearts and allowing God to cleanse them, making them new.

Create in me a clean heart, O God.

Renew a loyal spirit within me.

Psalm 51:10

Will you do that today or this week?