Much of history is a record of what’s done with sledgehammers. Men and women, frustrated with the nature and structure of things, cock back the wrecking ball and let it swing; smashing the established order to pieces. Boundary lines are moved, laws rewritten, statues toppled, books burned, and temples leveled for the rebuild. What are Paris, Jerusalem, and Rome but tubs of Legos that emperors, kings, princes, and generals have played in over the millennia? One of the lessons we’ve learned from these furious histories is that many of the things that get smashed should have been left as they were. Some that ends up as rubble should have been guarded as gold.
Ours is one of these iconoclastic ages when the sledgehammers are swinging. Under the banner of progress, a lot of our societal structure has been condemned as unfit for a noble and free people and is being slated for disassembly. As the chaos increases, those of us interested in preserving what’s best for our families and neighbors are left to decide what can be left to burn and what must be preserved. One of the changes Christians are being forced to consider is the rapid legalization of marijuana. Long seen as an illicit narcotic that seeks to arrest the energies of young people and fog the minds of all who get hooked, cannabis is today being championed as a medical miracle, a less dangerous alternative to alcohol, and even a gift from God. What should we say to our lawmakers, our youngsters, and our brothers and sisters battling chronic pain? In Marijuana to the Glory of God?, Pastor Jeff Lacine of Portland, Oregon offers his perspective for our consideration. Come join the conversation at the Roundtable this Sunday morning at 8:30am. Hot coffee will be brewed and baked goods spread out to sweeten the meeting – hope to see you there!
