In a world where death threats flood phones and vandalism becomes a political statement, the words of Jesus in John 10:10 ring truer than ever: “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” If we view the “thief” as the destructive forces of the world, the flesh, and the devil, it helps bring the chaos of our society into sharp focus.

We live in a paradoxical age — hyper-connected through technology yet profoundly isolated. Social media’s rise has confined us to digital echo chambers, where global communities and endless streams of information are just a tap away. You could stay holed up in your room and feel plugged into the world. But here’s the catch: this torrent of information is often warped, and far too many of us struggle to separate truth from deception in this digital storm. This isolation breeds a dangerous tribalism, replacing dialogue with division and turning disagreement into enmity.

Rather than bridging differences through open exchange, opposing groups retreat into cliques, shunning engagement. Worse, this herd mentality has fueled a chilling trend: the growing justification of violence to silence dissent, seemingly excusing murder as some kind of a “solution.” While this cuts across divides, the Left has notably embraced this path, as seen in the shocking reality of two assassination attempts on President Donald Trump during his 2024 campaign.

Another chilling example is Luigi Mangione, who murdered UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in December. A few weeks ago, I spontaneously found myself at a random music event in which one of the opening acts (whom I had never heard of) sang a song called “The Rest of Them,” allegedly “inspired” by Mangione’s crime. In a grotesque display, the lyrics brazenly advocated assassination to eliminate ideological foes. It was as shocking as it sounds. And yes, my cue to leave.

The alarming desire to assassinate persists, with a Pennsylvania man recently charged for repeatedly threatening to kill not only Trump but also Elon Musk and Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents. This follows weeks of escalating attacks by enraged liberals targeting Musk’s company, Tesla, through firebombing, scratching, and vandalizing vehicles on both commercial and private property.

The Washington Times reports that death threats have now extended to Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard and her family. Federal prosecutors revealed that 24-year-old Aliakbar Mohammed Amin sent her this text: “Prepare to die, you, Tulsi, and everyone you hold dear. America will burn.”

The outlet noted that the death threats started long before Trump’s administration even took office. “The death threats began as soon as Mr. Trump started making nominations,” they wrote. “They targeted Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins and Rep. Elise Stefanik of New York, who was nominated as ambassador to the United Nations before withdrawing to help bolster the Republican House majority.”

Benjamin Ginsberg, a Johns Hopkins University professor studying political violence, underscored an undeniable truth: violence, though not new, is now erupting into plain view. “Hatred of Trump and the members of the administration is so severe, so intense, that normally sensible people are willing to countenance [violence], even if they themselves wouldn’t do it … directed against their opponents,” he stated. It is worth noting that conservatives are just as capable of using violence as well, it’s just not what we’re seeing.

For instance, a recent survey “found that about half of liberal-leaning Americans could ‘at least somewhat’ justify the assassinations of Mr. Trump and Mr. Musk,” and “more than half of liberals also said destroying Tesla dealerships is acceptable.” The survey was titled, “Assassination Culture: How Burning Teslas and Killing Billionaires Became a Meme Aesthetic for Political Violence.”

The evidence is overwhelming, and it strikes at the core of the issue. These violent acts — assassination attempts, death threats, cultural endorsements of murder — vividly embody what Jesus described in John 10:10. The “thief” — the enemy and the sin we confront — exists solely to steal, kill, and destroy.

As Christians, we have a duty to understand that this chaos — whether online or in our neighborhoods — reflects the depravity of a world lost in sin. This is not merely some societal crisis that will fade away if we just leave it alone. No, this is a spiritual battle that, in one form or another, will persist until the day Jesus returns. In fact, Scripture reminds us that “our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against… the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms” (Ephesians 6:12). The lies spread through digital platforms, the hatred fueling vandalism and threats, the grotesque celebration of murder in songs like “The Rest of Them” have the thief’s fingerprints plastered all over them.

What is the enemy doing through these acts? He is stealing, killing, and destroying. That’s all he knows how to do. And as a result, the world that he rules follows the same tactics. However, my aim here is not merely to draw attention to the brokenness we’re painfully aware of. Rather, it’s to call us, as followers of Jesus Christ — the true and sovereign Lord — to the response He commands.

Jesus’s words in John 10:10 don’t merely expose the problem; they proclaim the divine and only solution. “I came that they may have life and have it abundantly,” He declared. This, dear reader, is our unshakable hope in a world fraying at the edges. The abundant life Christ offers is anchored in the truth of God’s word, the boundless love of Jesus, and the certain hope of His eternal kingdom. Through salvation in Christ, this life is ours — eternal in scope, overflowing with glory, and available to us even now as we await its fullness.

Living this out means rejecting the world’s ways. In an age of misinformation, we seek discernment through prayer and Scripture, testing every spirit against the truth (1 John 4:1). Where hatred justifies violence, we are called to “love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” (Matthew 5:44). In a world that denies God, we proclaim His truth boldly. As “ambassadors for Christ” (2 Corinthians 5:20), we must immerse ourselves in God’s word to counter lies, engage our churches to break isolation, and stand firm in love, hating evil and clinging to good (Romans 12:9). Above all, beloved, pray fervently.

Pray against the wickedness around us and the people who seek to do harm. Prayer is our weapon, not just for personal strength but for the healing of a fractured nation. The thief may prowl, but our God has already overcome. The violence and division we see are real, but they do not have the final say. Jesus’s abundant life — overflowing with grace, truth, and eternal purpose — is ours to embrace, untouchable by any thief.

Let us cling to Jesus’s promise, shining as light in a darkened world, and boldly proclaim God’s truth to a society dead in sin, desperately needing the abundant life only Christ provides.

AUTHOR

Sarah Holliday

Sarah Holliday is a reporter at The Washington Stand.

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