We’ve all been intrigued with the disappearance of Flight 370 the past couple of weeks. Conspiracy theorists have abounded. Did it land on an unknown island? Did it disintegrate? Maybe it was sucked into a black hole. Someone I know even thinks Pakistan diverted the plane and killed all the passengers.
No matter our theories, or our interest, one very important thing seems to have been lost in all the news and media stories. There are people involved. Not just on the plane, but left behind. Family members who have lost a loved one.
We have a tendency to dehumanize these type of situations to make ourselves feel better. After all, who wants to consider the terror these passengers might have gone through before the end? It’s easier to just think of it as a plane, a thing, and not a bunch of people on a plane. And no entity is worse at this than the media.
It’s all about getting the scoop. Being the first one to get it right. Basically, to guess and hope it pans out. Our media has forgotten there are those who are living a nightmare. And the sad part, once the plane is found, the friend
s’ and family member’s pain will not be ending. And with the media attention, there will be no mourning in private.
God never wants us to forget there are people with real feelings involved in these sad situations. James 5:16 reads, Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. Our prayers can help heal those who are hurting.
We need to pray for a quick resolution. Three weeks is too long to not know what occurred. We also need to pray that all the family members of those on this missing plane feel God’s arms around them, comforting them, holding them up when they need help. We need to keep focused on the fact there are people involved. It’s not just about a missing plane.
And pray for the media. Pray for compassion instead of guessing. And when your news station comes forward with speculation, instead of news, turn the show off. Pray for people of wisdom to return to the leadership of our media. I understand it’s a business, but when it comes down to it, the news is no longer the news. It’s just another form of entertainment.
We, as Christians, need to keep focused on one another. We must never lose touch with the fact there is a lot of pain involved when a tragedy like this occurs. That should be at the forefront of our minds. Whether we are the people watching, or the people putting on the news.
