A 16 year old juvenile delinquent armed with a toilet seat attacks a corrections officer and roams the streets of a small town. Police armed with guns engage in a manhunt throughout the night. The boy is found dead the next morning by a resident in a public place; killed by a gunshot wound. The police say it was self inflicted, and they will investigate it.

Another police officer responds to a call when an assailant opens fire and kills the officer. The man is apprehended and in the wake of the tragedy a memorial fund is created for the family who survives him, a major bridge in a neighboring town is bathed in blue light, a parade of hundreds of officers from another state ride to honor him. The community rallies, blue bracelets are handed out, flags are flown at half-staff, local businesses give free goods to all law enforcement officers.

We celebrate Christmas and Easter supposedly to honor Jesus, but Jesus said the way to honor him was by searching out the outcast, the criminal, the needy and the hungry and to cloth them, to visit them, to feed them. By loving those who are "least" in society, we love God, but not because we are better than them.

Whenever there is a "least" in our mind, who's life is it that is better? Whenever one person's life is worthy of honor, preservation and parades, and another's is valued like a toilet seat, there is the place we can find God.

When Christ was born, he was found among animals. When he died, he was found with criminals. These were not there, in my mind, to provide a backdrop of contrast.

"And surely, blood shall not be shed, only for meat, to save your lives; and the blood of every beast will I require at your hands. And whoso sheddeth man’s blood, by man shall his blood be shed; for man shall not shed the blood of man. For a commandment I give, that every man’s brother shall preserve the life of man, for in mine own image have I made man." (Genesis 9, Inspired Version)

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From LHB:

I think of the boy often. I wonder about his life and what brought him to the situation he was in, that he was desperate enough to risk it all for another chance of freedom, that he would arm himself with a toilet seat and run to where? He likely had no where to go.

I have wished he knew about me, about my home. That I could have given him food, shelter, love. I think of his lifeless body, the same age as my own eldest child, lying in a spot that my son enjoys and frequents often. My mind revolts in horror.

That he should be forgotten, disregarded. That he should die and left to be unknown, unloved.

Why do we value the life of the one? And not the other? Why do our hearts break for the one? Yet not the other.

I am glad that this community has loved the life of the officer who was killed. I am glad for the goodness shown. But was not the life of this unknown boy of equal value?

Thank you Jesus that to you, this boy is known. That to you he is loved. Please bless that in the time I have while I am on this earth, that I may live, and bless, and value the life of all your living creations, particularly the life of mankind.