Will the decriminalization of public urination in New York lead to murder? The answer is yes, at least according to “The Broken Windows” theory which holds that serious crime is a direct outgrowth of societal disorder, which starts with something as simple as broken windows. Besides being gross, and a serious threat to public sanitation, New York’s repellent repealing of criminal law against public urination will lead to societal breakdown, and in fact already has. In the 1990s the city began an aggressive effort to restore order at the window level resulting in a significant drop in serious crime, including murder. Its recent reversal at the “broken window” level, along with the whole defund the police and decriminalize crime movement sweeping America, has been mirrored by a huge increase in serious crime. Is it coincidence or consequence?

While the theory has its critics, and doesn’t always fit perfectly, there is a strong Biblical precedent for it as a valid approach to understanding how a society functions. When Joash became king at the tender age of seven the city had been living under the influence of the pagan Baal worshipping daughter of Jezebel, Athaliah, for nearly twenty years. First under her husband and his grandfather Jehoram, then under her son and his father Ahaziah, and finally directly under his grandmother, Athaliah herself.

During that time the temple of Jehovah had fallen into disrepair due to neglect. Even with the temple of Baal torn down and the renewal of Biblical worship the temple remained in disrepair for another 23 years (2 Kings 12:6). The “broken windows” of a decayed temple coincided with a continuation of some of the pagan practices that were spread across the land (2 Kings 12:3). While there’s no proof there was a direct cause and effect there’s no doubt there was a correlation between the two. Letting the temple remain unrepaired must have given the impression that God could be dishonored, especially since the king had to rebuke the priests for their failure to repair the windows (2 Kings 12:7).

The Christian’s broken windows are the failure to study God’s word, pray for wisdom and greater faith, and attend worship consistently. They will lead to a soul breakdown. Our hearts will grow cold toward God and our brethren as we grow more distant and disrespectful until sin’s roots grow deep and take complete control of our lives. Each of us needs to look in the mirror and make an in depth inspection of our heart. Examine every nook and cranny to find the dirty unswept corners, unrepaired cracks, and broken windows of unrepented sin. And then repent; get started repairing those windows and restore your soul in the sight of God. He’s pleading with us to clean up our lives and watching to see if we will make it so.