There’s been a lot in the news concerning shootings, murders and violence in Chicago’s inner city. The number of deaths has increased dramatically. There has been a loud outcry against Chicago’s police force, against politicians and against Chicago’s mayor. No one seems to have a solution to the problem, and the stream of violence and murders seems to be unstoppable.
Why Gangs Form
One gang member, who grew up in the Henry Horner projects on Chicago’s West Side, explained why he joined the gang at a very young age. In an area known for gang violence, it was a matter of protection. Joining the Vice Lords, he was given a gun as a gift when he was just a pre-teen. In order to get to school safely, it was necessary to carry a gun and to be willing to use it, if necessary. This way, he and his friends were able to keep each other safe.
Another man, who would only identify himself as a Black Disciple, said the reason why so many join the gang is because they don’t have a mother or father, and the gang provides structure in their lives. He explained that many of their mothers were “crack heads,” “dope fiends,” “boosters” or “something.” It would seem to be a hopeless trap — like a bug being caught in a giant spider’s web with no hope of escape! But is this really the case?
Many gang members consider the gang their “family” and that they are like “brothers.” They look up to those with charisma, those who have sold drugs and have money, clothes, girlfriends, cars and food. They look up to them as their protectors. In spite of the many deaths from violence and shootings, they are willing to put their trust in this false security.
A longtime member of the Black Disciples said, “If I live by this gun, and I live by these drugs, this product that I’m selling, and I’m pushing in this neighborhood, it’s putting food on my table and food in my kids’ mouths and a roof over their heads, then I’m not going to put it down.”
A Worsening Situation
Older guys used to make the younger kids go to school, even though they were gang members. Now, there’s no one to make them go to school. Instead of the outward appearance of family and protection, it’s a bullet-ridden free-for-all, with gangsters trying to gain respect by proving how ruthless they are. Rashad Britt had this to say: “Kids only care about nice clothes, fast money and how many kills they can get. When they get a certain amount of kills or when they hurt a certain amount of people, they are feared. ... The kids nowadays in Chicago, that’s what they want.”
Satan’s deception is very clever. He is quite happy to have men fear and kill each other. But what does God have to say about this? “Fear God ... for this is the whole duty of man” (Ecclesiastes 12:1313Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. (Ecclesiastes 12:13)). God also has the answer for our safety. He says, “It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man” (Psalm 118:88It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man. (Psalm 118:8)). God does not intend for man to fight and kill each other, but to live and serve and please Him that it might be well with them. “Therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live: that thou mayest love the Lord thy God, and that thou mayest obey His voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto Him: for He is thy life, and the length of thy days” (Deuteronomy 30:19-2019I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live: 20That thou mayest love the Lord thy God, and that thou mayest obey his voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto him: for he is thy life, and the length of thy days: that thou mayest dwell in the land which the Lord sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them. (Deuteronomy 30:19‑20)).
Others on the street say that the violent gang life is for kids. If they can live into their 20s without being jailed, some have been able to walk away and get jobs. Tracy Cannon, once associated with the Vice Lords, summed it up this way: “You just get played out, man. If you ain’t rich by now, you ain’t gonna get rich selling drugs.”
God’s Solution
Man does not have the solution to this social problem, but God does. It is found in His Son Jesus, who suffered an awful death on the cross so that you and I could be saved. We deserve eternal punishment from a righteous, sin-hating God. Because God loved us, He sent His Son Jesus to take our punishment on Calvary’s cross. “God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:88But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8)). When we come to God in faith, asking Him to forgive our sins for Jesus’ sake, He promises to do so. Not only that, He gives us a new heart and a desire to live for Him. He will take away the desire for drugs, violence and ill-gotten power if we are dependent on Him for our daily lives. He gives us the “peace of God, which passeth all understanding” (Philippians 4:77And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:7)) in whatever circumstances we are in. When there is “repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ” (Acts 20:2121Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ. (Acts 20:21)), Jesus gives us “a well of water springing up into everlasting life” (John 4:1414But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life. (John 4:14))!
Juan Martinez Leaves a Gang for Christ
But, you say, how does this practically play out? Does it really work? What if you’re already selling drugs or dependent on them, using guns and heavily involved in a gang? Is it too late for you? Juan Martinez’ clear answer is “No!”
Juan Martinez’ parents divorced when he was 8 years old, so his perception of what a man should be was shaped by the movies and by looking at the outside world. He thought that to be a man you had to be the toughest one out there with the most money and girls. Joining himself to the older kids in his New Jersey neighborhood, he was soon introduced to drugs. By the time he was 13, he was both using and selling marijuana and cocaine.
Like many who join the gang, he felt accepted. The older ones taught him their trade, all he needed to know. He thought that if this is what it took, then he was going to be the best one at it. This was going to be his identity, who he was going to become. The Bible says, “There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death” (Proverbs 14:1212There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death. (Proverbs 14:12)). Willfully and persistently, he was heading down a path that has led to the physical and spiritual death of countless thousands.
Years later, he moved to Texas determined to expand his territory and become one of the main distributors in New Jersey, New York and other states. Then he started to use and sell meth, with the goal of becoming rich. Knowing that most men are drinkers, he went to the suburbs and made friendships with those men, targeting the fathers. Once he got them hooked, he was invited into their homes. When the wife became hooked, he became their dealer and moved on to the next home.
Being high on meth and having his conscience and senses dulled, he was not bothered by the many lives and families he was destroying. In fact, he congratulated himself on a job well-done — he was finally achieving his goal of becoming rich and powerful by his hard work and cleverness! Everything seemed to be going according to plan — but God had his eye on him and was about to speak to him in a very personal way.
Awakening
Conscience
One day Juan was out on a delivery when he heard a voice he didn’t recognize.
“I’m hearing, ‘Why are you killing, stealing and destroying the very lives I’m giving people?’ For the first time in my life I felt horrible. I’m just weeping and crying, right? And then it’s like in a twinkling of an eye, everything stops. I still went and made my deliveries. But there was a thought every time I handed it to somebody, you know? So I would hand it to a woman and I was thinking, ‘Man, I’m ruining her life.’ I would hand it to a guy, ‘Man, I’m ruining his life.’”
In a very direct way, God was reaching Juan’s conscience and heart. Juan believed that it was the voice of God, but he didn’t know how to change. Shortly after this, he was arrested for meth possession and landed in jail with a 25-year sentence. He had finally come to the end of himself and hit rock bottom with nowhere to go and no one to turn to.
But God knew his need and was very gracious to him. A cellmate encouraged him to pray and read the Bible. Juan says, “Weeping, I got on my knees. I am repenting about everything. I’m literally going to that and thinking about things that I have done in my life. And I was like, ‘I’m sorry. God, I want You in my life.’ I want this Jesus, you know? I want this.”
Emptied and Filled
God heard Juan’s prayer and gave him a peace and joy that he didn’t have before. He lost his desire for drugs. He didn’t feel that he had to prove anything anymore. He felt that he was loved and accepted. His sentence was reduced to four years and he spent his remaining time growing in his faith. Today he is married and has a family. He now goes back to the very neighborhoods where he grew up and shares the good news of salvation with others.
Juan says, “Jesus filled every void. When I didn’t have a father, He was my father. Whatever void it is that has you empty, you can fill that void with Jesus. Jesus wants to give you life.” Jesus made this comparison: “The thief [Satan] cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly” (John 10:1010The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. (John 10:10)).
Find out more about freedom from sin and guilt in Can My Sins Be Pardoned?