Saying all the wrong things...
Yesterday brought our country a tragedy. On Friday, December 14, a troubled young man killed his mother and then took her guns and drove in her car to a local school where he killed 20 children and six adults. This young man was also killed at some point in the unfolding events.
As I've watched the coverage and read the comments people have written on Facebook and Twitter, I have seen some troubling comments. Many have stated that this wouldn't have happened if teachers or the principal had been allowed to have their own weapons at school. They assert that without the ability to protect themselves, school workers are sitting ducks forced to wait for law enforcement to save them. One person went so far as to suggest that the lack of guns in schools is the reason schools are so often the target of shootings...that shooters target schools because they know they won't be stopped.
First of all, the day of a horrible shooting probably isn't the most appropriate time to suggest MORE guns as a solution. Second, the last thing a frightened kindergarten teacher wants to do is make the life and death choice to shoot someone. Third, what about the liability of having guns in a school? There are terrible statistics about children accessing guns that weren't properly stored at home and harming themselves or others. How many terrible gun accidents do we need to read about at the local elementary school? The guns would need to be kept under very tight security to prevent such incidents....which means the gun would be difficult to access quickly if an armed intruder ever did invade the school.
I've also read several comments referring to this event as "God's will" or that God had somehow chosen those "little angels" to return to him at this time. One thing I saw posted by multiple people was that God wasn't at the school because God has been kicked out of our schools by separation of church and state.
Let's be clear about something. God cares for these kids and adults who were murdered....but it was NOT God's will for them to perish this way. God doesn't "will" for us to suffer terrible tragedies. This tragedy was 100% the consequence of the choice of this troubled young man to carry out a very evil act. Many of the things we suffer in life are the consequences of our choices or the choices of others. This event is just one very real example of how evil causes us harm.
Our only hope is Jesus. I have nothing to fear in this life, because I know that Jesus has transformed my life and He has the power to transform the lives of even the most evil person. And, when tragic events befall me, I have hope that He is walking beside me and taking care of me (often through the people He brings alongside me). Our only hope is to cry out to Him to bring restoration and hope to the families who were affected by this horrendous event.
As I've watched the coverage and read the comments people have written on Facebook and Twitter, I have seen some troubling comments. Many have stated that this wouldn't have happened if teachers or the principal had been allowed to have their own weapons at school. They assert that without the ability to protect themselves, school workers are sitting ducks forced to wait for law enforcement to save them. One person went so far as to suggest that the lack of guns in schools is the reason schools are so often the target of shootings...that shooters target schools because they know they won't be stopped.
First of all, the day of a horrible shooting probably isn't the most appropriate time to suggest MORE guns as a solution. Second, the last thing a frightened kindergarten teacher wants to do is make the life and death choice to shoot someone. Third, what about the liability of having guns in a school? There are terrible statistics about children accessing guns that weren't properly stored at home and harming themselves or others. How many terrible gun accidents do we need to read about at the local elementary school? The guns would need to be kept under very tight security to prevent such incidents....which means the gun would be difficult to access quickly if an armed intruder ever did invade the school.
I've also read several comments referring to this event as "God's will" or that God had somehow chosen those "little angels" to return to him at this time. One thing I saw posted by multiple people was that God wasn't at the school because God has been kicked out of our schools by separation of church and state.
Let's be clear about something. God cares for these kids and adults who were murdered....but it was NOT God's will for them to perish this way. God doesn't "will" for us to suffer terrible tragedies. This tragedy was 100% the consequence of the choice of this troubled young man to carry out a very evil act. Many of the things we suffer in life are the consequences of our choices or the choices of others. This event is just one very real example of how evil causes us harm.
Our only hope is Jesus. I have nothing to fear in this life, because I know that Jesus has transformed my life and He has the power to transform the lives of even the most evil person. And, when tragic events befall me, I have hope that He is walking beside me and taking care of me (often through the people He brings alongside me). Our only hope is to cry out to Him to bring restoration and hope to the families who were affected by this horrendous event.
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