The Thin Blue Line / Lloyd

the thin blue line

I was interested to learn the following statistics about the hazards of law enforcement at the website of The National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund.

"Today, in the United States, some 900,000 law enforcement officers put their lives on the line for the safety and protection of others. They serve with valor and distinction – and with great success. Federal statistics show that violent and property crime rates in the United States are at historic lows, thanks in large measure to the dedicated service of the men and women of law enforcement.

"That protection comes at a price, however. Each year, there are approximately 60,000 assaults on law enforcement officers, resulting in nearly 16,000 injuries. Sadly, over the last decade, an average of 150 officers a year have been killed in the line of duty. And throughout U.S. history, more than 20,000 law enforcement officers have made the ultimate sacrifice."

a lawless society

We are quickly becoming like the society described in Helaman 5:2-3.

"For as their laws and their governments were established by the voice of the people, and they who chose evil were more numerous than they who chose good, therefore they were ripening for destruction, for the laws had become corrupted.

"Yea, and this was not all; they were a stiffnecked people, insomuch that they could not be governed by the law nor justice, save it were to their destruction."

For the most part this  particular society documented in the Book of Mormon could not live within established law except to be judged in violation.

We recognize  this condition whenever we experience long observed laws ignored or written off because there are now so many violators it’s argued they are unenforceable and therefore irrelevant for our day.

Not all laws are of equal weight.  But when those meant to secure to individuals the free exercise of conscience, the right and control of property, and the protection of life are ignored or written off, the result is felt as a transition from peace and harmony to greater anarchy and terror.

In this environment we are called upon to minister to the fundamental needs of family, friends, neighbors, associates, and community; to teach God’s standard of behavior in word and example; and to point the penitent to Christ’s atonement for relief.

Christ’s law of love: kindly but firmly

So what was Nephi’s course of action, to call up a greater constabulary to enforce laws or build more prisons?  Can any number of police be expected to bring law and order to a lawless society (no matter the reason attributed to this lawless behavior) except by inflicting equal terror and lawlessness themselves?  No, and so Nephi embarked on a mission to call citizens to repentance.

"And it came to pass that Nephi had become weary because of their iniquity; and he yielded up the judgment-seat, and took it upon him to preach the word of God all the remainder of his days, and his brother Lehi also, all the remainder of his days . . ." (Helaman 5:4)

But how is this to be done safely and effectively? Jesus gave his disciples guidance in the Sermon on the Mount that would keep them as safe as possible until He called them home from their efforts to represent Christian principles to a lawless society, one that “could not be governed by the law nor justice, save it were to their destruction.”

"Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.

"But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;

"That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.

"For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?

"And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?

"Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect." (Matt 5:43-48)

I understand this to mean perfect in love for our fellow men, concerned enough for their welfare that we are willing to put ourselves at risk in kindly but firmly representing God’s standard of behavior to them. 

Today Judy and I have two grandsons on missions for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints engaged full time in this very work. And among our 40 current grandchildren, many more grandsons and likely granddaughters are preparing to be called on missions.

In the end force will never be effective in changing the souls of men and women for good -- never has.