Evil Does Exist

A beloved relative who spent decades selflessly serving other people passed away this month. Hundreds of emails poured into her grieving husband’s inbox reminding him of the amazing positive impact she had on their lives.

A memorial service was held, and later, a burial. When the husband arrived home from burying his wife of nearly 60 years, he discovered that his house had been burglarized. Thieves had ransacked their residence and helped themselves to their belongings.

They took her wedding ring. They stole their computer, which had irreplacable photos on it, plus all the emails that people had sent thanking them for their ministry, character, and leadership. Valuables. Personal items. Gone.

Needless to say, my response was strongly worded. What kind of sick, twisted miscreants do this to an elderly man who just said goodbye to his wife? People who don’t care, that’s who.

They obviously don’t have empathy, the ability to stand in other people’s shoes, so they are insensitive to the pain they are causing. It’s all about them, and what they can gain.

Just like home wreckers. Just like sociopaths. Just like narcissists. Maybe they are sociopaths and/or narcissists.

This made me feel sick, because I had the passing thought when I read the notice for the memorial service that “I hope the jerks who rip off people while they’re at funerals don’t show up.” I guess I felt I wasn’t closely enough related to discuss security, but now wish I would have said something.

I’d heard of this happening to people; I knew it was real. But sometimes these risks don’t really hit home until you know someone this has happened to.

The police are handling this properly and we’re hoping the stolen items will show up in a pawn shop or for sale online. These people are probably repeat offenders, though, leeches on the flesh of society who troll the internet for such opportunities and then strike when people aren’t home.

What I really hope is that these brazen thieves, or drug addicts, or desperate souls, or whoever they are open up that computer and look into the eyes of a woman who was dearly loved for her kindness and hard work.

She exemplified the Christian faith in so many ways, doing unto others and bringing hope to the hopeless. Through her work thousands found something better than material riches. They found love and permanent security. And in becoming a blessing to others, God blessed them. When we give Him His due first, everything else falls into place.

If they read the emails recounting her many charitable exploits, if they looked at the pictures showing just what lengths she went to in the name of Jesus to bring health and happiness to people in remote areas, maybe something deep inside of them would stir. Maybe they would realize that they just stole part of someone’s life, someone who gave freely instead of taking greedily.

But that’s assuming that there’s anything inside of them left to stir. There are evil people in this world, and some of them will never change. We can hope everyone does, but must be realistic– some never will. Many never will. Evil does exist. People without conscience and remorse are all around us.

I’m writing this in part to let readers know that so-called “funeral burglaries” really do happen. Publishing the date and time of related events may be an unintentional invitation to practiced thieves who will swoop in and take whatever they want in your darkest hour. Because we live among selfish opportunists, it’s not good to advertise when you won’t be home.

This woman would not have called the burglars leeches. Her faith was gentler than mine. Even if they were caught and held accountable, as they should be, I’ll bet that she might have told them she’s praying for them in spite of this terrible wrong. After all, she spent her whole life letting people know just how much they matter to their Creator.

Burglars, I hope that even after her graduation into eternity she reaches you too.

I’m also praying that you get caught. Soon.

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Every man must decide whether he will walk in the light of creative altruism or in the darkness of destructive selfishness. -Martin Luther King Jr.

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©2010 H. Hiatt/wildninja.wordpress.com. All articles/posts on this blog are copyrighted original material that may not be reproduced in part or whole in any electronic or printed medium without prior permission from H. Hiatt/wildninja.wordpress.com.