Lights that Shine in the Darkness: Key Takeaways
By Nate Roten
This article was written as key takeaways from the stories of Paige Mast Blevins and David Ward. To read Paige’s story, click the link to part one. To read David’s story, click the link to part two.
The testimonies of Paige Mast Blevins and David Ward are separated by nine years, and yet, there is a central message that both are telling. It’s a message Paige and David have accepted, and it’s a message to our loving, diverse, small-town community. They are truths that speak into our culture, and yet, transcends culture to be relevant to anyone at any time.
Having heard their powerful stories with some time to reflect on them, I believe they are both explaining three essential truths plus a call to action, and if we miss them, then we will lose out on so much beneficial fruit produced in life’s hardest circumstances. Thankfully, most of us have not had to walk through challenging circumstances like the tragic death of a spouse or a child. So, if we are blessed to be spared from this level of heartache, let’s be diligent to learn the lessons taught from those who have endured it.
Truth #1: God is real and comforts His own
The first takeaway is that God is real and he offers a real relationship with real love and abundant compassion. Did you see how both Paige and David were comforted by God? It came in different forms, but He was present and engaged in their time of pain and sorrow.
For Paige, He poured out His compassion in consistent, small doses she described as ‘God-things.’ God was in the details, nothing being too ordinary or small for God to use. Even something so trivial as a quiet and submissive dog that is usually loud and dominant or William’s police car driving by her house.
For David, God was constantly taking him to His word and strengthening him through prayer. Many times throughout the day, God would draw his attention to Jeremiah 3:33 and Isaiah 57:15, reiterating His love and confirming Chris’ eternal status.
God is a God of action and compassion for his people. He isn’t just a distant cosmic ruler, but a heavenly Father who loves his children. He loves us so much that he was willing to send his own Son, Jesus, to suffer and die at the hands of cruel men so that by his sacrifice, we may be redeemed to a restored relationship with Him, both now and in eternity.
William and Paige on a Christmas hunting trip to Holmes County Ohio
He is also a God who shows his love through the compassion of his people. Over and over again, both David and Paige described the support they received from their community. That same support and empathy extending out to the Fox and Ligon family as well. Fortunately, our community as a whole has seen the event as a tragedy for all parties involved and have responded with the love that Christ asks of his people. The Spirit is called the Comforter, and for those who have God’s Spirit inside them, He can be a fountain of comfort that defies reason. He ministers to His people directly, and yet, scripture also tells us that other Christians are also God’s chosen means to minister to His people. We were created to be in community and relationships so that we could uphold and support one another. In fact, there are over thirty references to the ‘one anothers’ in the New Testament, one of which is to bear one another’s burdens. So, their stories bear witness that the Sovereign God of creation proved faithful as he comforted and upheld them in their darkest days.
Truth #2: True peace and forgiveness are attributes of the Spirit
As you read through David’s story, did you find it odd that he never got angry? Wouldn’t that be the default reaction for most of us, especially in our culture of social justice? Wouldn’t we all cry out for justice? Wouldn’t we become angry and bitter at the senseless loss of life? And if we were honest with ourselves, wouldn’t we seek an outlet for that anger whether it was poured out on someone or even on God Himself?
Or what about an uncommon peace that settles in a heart that has been completely broken. Isn’t that the opposite of what we would expect when someone we love is taken from us in such a sudden and violent way? Both Paige and David explained how there were times where this inexplicable peace came over them. We can somewhat relate to and empathize with the parts of grief holding them down in the bed or staying hidden in a room so that reality doesn’t have to be dealt with. That we can understand. What is hard for many of us to grasp are the times where the opposite of what we think should happen ends up being the case.
When we see people react with uncommon grace, it is only because they are displaying what is called the fruit of the Spirit. When peace replaces rage, it is not from the human will, but is a product of being in a relationship with God. Galatians 5:22-23 tells us,
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness,
and self-control.
Peace in heartache. Joy in sorrow. Love in others and for God’s glory in a time where the heart is completely shattered. Being willing to let go of a personal sense of justice into the hands of a God who will judge justly. These aren’t normal human reactions. They are evidence that God’s nature and attributes are at work in the person.
Paige and David displayed the fruit of the Spirit in the midst of losing those most precious to them. I think they would both say that this wasn’t a reflection of how good-natured they are, but is proof of a holy God doing a good work in their lives. Just like the moon has no inherent light within itself but can only reflect the light of the sun, so too God’s people can reflect His glory in the darkest of nights. Why? So that the brilliance of His glory might be made known and understood. This truth leads us to the third takeaway.
Truth #3: God doesn’t promise to prevent tragedy, but to walk with us and use it for His glory.
Nowhere in scripture are we told that we are exempt from pain or loss. It’s a common mistake in our western Christian culture to think that upon becoming a follower of Christ, everything will go well from that moment onward. We think that once we say yes to Christ, we will only experience his blessings and prosperity, sheltered from the woes of this world.
In reality, that couldn’t be further from the truth. The fact of the matter is that we still live in a broken world marred by sin. We aren’t exempt from living in this world and the pain it produces. It is unreasonable to think that we could live in such an environment and remain untouched by it.
No, we are not sheltered from hurt and loss, but we are promised that God will be with us in the dark valleys, just like Psalm 23 says. We are reassured that God will indeed work out all things for good for the sake of those that love Him, and I believe there are two main reasons why it happens this way.
First, as just stated, God will work out all our experiences for our good. We may ask how on earth good can come from senseless death. That’s a fair question to ask. While we may not see the fullness of that answer on this side of heaven, I think it is easy to see it in part from Paige’s story. Nine years after losing her husband, she stands in multiple positions of influence. She has ongoing opportunities to positively influence others through her work with CIT (Crisis Intervention Training), NC COPS (Concerns for Police Survivors), and building relationships with other widows of fallen officers. He restored her family by giving her Kody and another child. In short, there is a greater purpose to her life. If it wasn’t felt before, it certainly is now.
David and Paige both experienced the love of a community. Don’t you think that is a grace they have been given? This article bears witness to two stories that show an entire community of thousands that God is real, faithful, loving, and compassionate. There is purpose in the pain. That purpose is to point to an eternal truth, which is our second point…
Hard times like these display God’s glory. We are the moon. He is the sun. We are created to reflect his brilliance, not our own. During both interviews, it was stated multiple times that they don’t want the spotlight. They want God to get the glory. He alone is worthy of it. There is great power in allowing people to bear witness to your hardship. It is a mercy that strengthens one another and points to something (or rather someone) that is bigger than ourselves. God gets to be magnified.
David’s family, friends, and church were who he found strength in during a tragic time;
The Ward Family (Left to Right) Samuel, Molly, Chris, Candice, Benjamin, David, Katie, Betty Wood, Keisha, and Kyle Hicks
May our community realize that we are all created to live in service to one another to reflect the glory of the God who made us…
A Call to Action: Our Law Enforcement Deserves our full support
Just like we can never fully understand what Paige and David have walked through unless we have also experienced the same circumstance, we can never fully understand or appreciate all that our police force does for us. Unfortunately, we live in a culture that is growing increasingly callous toward the very ones that put their lives on the line, and it is shameful. Thankfully our small mountain community doesn’t have the hard edge like many other cities in the United States, but stories like these should remind us of the sacrifices they make to serve and protect us and how we should honor and respect their service.
If we are to be a community that reflects the loving and caring nature of the God we want others to know and love, then can we allow the testimony of David and Paige to prompt us to action? Like the days following 9-11, our town was stirred to action in the wake of the deaths of Sgt. Ward and Deputy Fox. It was a heartfelt reaction to a tragic event.
But, can these stories show us how to love and support the ones who protect us before tragedy strikes? In the Bible-belt south, can our little community demonstrate to the rest of the nation how to act upon the ‘one anothers’ of scripture and love our Law Enforcement so they can be encouraged and supported every day and not after disaster strikes? Our support doesn’t need to always be in the limelight, but rather, I think we could better serve them in normal, everyday circumstances that serve as a constant reminder that they are appreciated, respected, and cared for.
May our community realize that we are all created to live in service to one another to reflect the glory of the God who made us, who loves us, and who made a way to be reconciled back to His love through a relationship with Jesus.