Across America and perhaps other parts of the West as well, people are talking about the recent verdict in the Trayvon Martin case.  As most of us know, George Zimmerman, the defendant, was acquitted on all charges.  Given that his judgment was rendered by a jury consisting of mostly white women, many commentators have raised the specter of racism, suggesting that, at its core, the verdict was driven by a pervasive and widespread sense of racism toward African-Americans.  Compounding the anguish is that the only person who witnessed events firsthand--the defendant--did not take the stand to tell his story.  All we have is circumstantial evidence.
     As President Obama urged, however, the jury has spoken, and whether we want to or not, we must live with the verdict.  But this is not my point today.  Overwhelmed as I am by the tragic nature of this situation, for there are no winners here, except perhaps the defense lawyers and the fees they will soon be collecting from Mr. Zimmerman, I see a deeper spiritual issue at work.  Underlying and significantly contributing to this tragedy is the belief, shared by many Americans and steadfastly encouraged by the National Rifle Association, that a person has every right to carry arms, of nearly any kind, and, if she considers herself threatened--or, according to the state of Florida's "Stand Your Ground" law, even if she does not--to use them, freely and without restraint.  For many people, too many of whom, sadly, believe in Jesus as the fountain and expression of God's love, this right extends to property as well.  They believe they have the right to maim or kill people who merely seem to be trying to steal their property, not necessarily do them bodily harm.
     Even a cursory view of the Bible tells us that everything we have, our lives, our liberty, our property, are gifts of God.  We did not appear on earth by our own efforts or design, and we do not earn money or acquire property simply because we are who we are.  We can only live and acquire because we are here, and we are only here because God exists.  Though we all love and treasure our person and property, we always need to remember that they are gifts, and the instant that we decide that they are not, we enter into a perverted humility from which there is no return.
     This is not to dismiss the pain of Trayvon Martin's death.  I feel terribly for his family.  He'll never return.  It is to say, however, that in the aftermath of the verdict America needs to look at itself, again, and ask itself what kind of a nation it wants to be:  a nation in which people feel blessed, empowered, and armed to offend and defend without restraint, always looking for trouble, or a nation in which people look to God to work together to build community and peace.