Flowers for Henry Nowak

These are some flowers for Henry. As I feel I must note the tragedy that has befallen young Henry Nowak and his family - a tragedy that has been filling the media. Why all this publicity given that, horribly, knife crime seems to have become almost routine on our streets, and given that "the increase of lawlessness" is earthwide? All over the world precious people are being slaughtered as if they were of no value.

But this happened just down the coast from us. And it is the contrast in the way young Henry was treated, and the way the murderer was treated by the forces of law and order that is so startling, so upsetting.

He was dying on the pavement, choking on his own blood, and the Police handcuffed, arrested and cautioned him. He was shown no kindness, no courtesy - and given no help.

But I will leave the rest to his very dignified father, Mark Nowak. Speaking after the court case which has jailed the murderer of his son, he said "justice alone is not enough", adding that the way his son was treated, compared to Digwa, was "unbearable".

"Let me be absolutely clear - we hold Vickrum Digwa solely and 100 per cent responsible for the brutal murder of our son," the father said. "But Henry should not have died on the streets of Southampton in police custody. The way he was treated was inhumane and degrading."

'His murderer, however, was afforded decency. He was believed. He was not handcuffed when arrested. He was not handcuffed when transported to the police station. As far as we understand, he was never handcuffed at all."

It is, as his father said, unbearable. And it all happened just down the road from here. So it is both heartbreaking and frightening.

In shining contrast the law of our loving Creator, Jehovah, is perfect and impartial. He has one standard for all, and knows, loves and values every one of his subjects. And he has taught us what a serious thing it is to take a human life.

God's word really is a beacon of light shining in a cruel and unjust world system. Please can it draw more and more of us to our loving Creator.

And I hope that once the whole earth is at peace under the loving rule of the Kingdom of God, the heavenly government, for whose coming Jesus taught us to pray, Jehovah will wake young Henry from the dreamless sleep of death and he will be reunited with his family. I hope that for so many more of us, the human family, too.

So I will end with this beautiful promise from the Book of Isaiah:

Your dead will live...

Awake and shout joyfully,

You residents in the dust!

For your dew is as the dew of the morning,

And the earth will let those powerless in death come to life.