A Bible Verse I Dedicate To the Self-Proclaimed Gangster
1 Peter 3: 8- 7
Live in Peace, Harmony, Respect - Avoid Payback
Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble. Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.
For, "Whoever would love life and see good days must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from deceitful speech.
He must turn from evil and do good;
he must seek peace and pursue it.
For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous
and his ears are attentive to their prayer,
but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil."
Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good?
But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. "Do not fear what they fear; do not be frightened."
But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord.
Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.
But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.
It is better, if it is God's will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil. 1 Peter 3:8-17
New International Version
When pride gets in the way, or we harbor territorialism, or when we separate ourselves from peers because of affiliation differences, the stage is ripe for malice, violence, prejudice and retaliation.
Many gangsters tell me that they're "good" people despite their penchant for fighting, slandering, drug dealing, mad-dogging, vandalizing property, claiming territory that they have never owned and taking advantage of others, including parents, siblings and girlfriends. They have fooled themselves into believing that because they are occasionally generous with, or, good to those who are good to them, they are doing the right thing in the eyes of society. Many a gangster is very "good" only to those who are blood or gang family. Nobody else really matters to them. By all appearances, they are good and right-living people.
Many other gangsters believe they are ok with God and society despite their living a life of drug dealing, sexual activity with partners with whom they are not married, stealing, vandalizing, planning gang warfare, disrespecting neighborhoods and community. These actions are totally contrary of what God expects of us and wants for us. These actions harm self and others. Many have mistakenly come to believe that these are crimes or sins God winks at or tolerates. "They're not as bad as other things like murder or rape," they might say.
One cannot say the live for and follow Christ and continue in the lifestyle of the gangster. As indicated in the bible verse above, the things gangsters commonly do in their gangster culture are totally contrary to God. We must love God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength and love our neighbors as ourselves, for starters.
Sin wraps the sinner into a deep trap with many unexpected consequences, and it harms many in ways that may be initially unseen or not considered.
True Christianity, however, is when one accepts Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior and allows Jesus to take the throne of one's heart.
Once one allows Jesus to be the true King at the throne of one's life, Jesus begins to root out meanness, selfishness, territorialism, prejudice, the taker and bully mentality and other junk that messes up one's thinking. He makes us a new being. Old ways become replaced with born-again-thinking and action.
No one can get to heaven by "trying to be" a good person, or by attempting to balance the scale so that there is more good than bad on one's life transcript. Good according to who?
According to the Bible there is not a single person living or dead worthy of heaven without the blood of Jesus covering their heart because of having actively accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior.
Having a cross, a rosary or the face of Jesus tattooed on one's body does not make one religious or assist a person in gaining salvation. For those who are operating in the gang lifestyle these tattooed symbols make a farce of what the emblems represent. One cannot receive "special protection" from above just because he has a tattoo of a religious symbol.
Knowing God and living for him is not "religion." Religion has very little do with salvation, in reality. When Christ saves a soul, He renews and refreshes, transforms and rebuilds. Christ disdains religiosity or playing religion. Jesus wants a relationship with you and He wants to make you over. "I have come that they might have life and have it abundantly."
While there is time, and while it is still "today," ask Jesus to come into your heart and life and transform you into the person He wants you to be. His wish is to give you life abundantly on earth and life everlasting in Heaven.
What a deal.
Rob Gallardo, Director - Operation No GangsWhile
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