As this week unfolded and as I was returning from a quick trip from Houston on Tuesday, I was feeling joyful by finally finishing the long process of becoming a U.S citizen. As my wife and I were driving back, just being glad to finish the second to last step in this long journey, we got the message on our phones of the shooting in Uvalde Texas. At that moment there were only reports of an active shooter. We took a moment to pray for the safety of the students and the teachers, but a few hours later we checked the news again and at that moment the death toll was 12 children. As of Wednesday, the death toll was up to 21.
It seems that everyday things are worse in our country. We have gotten to the point where a school shooting has become as common place as any other incident. I can only imagine what these children were feeling as this event was unfolding. I can imagine their terror as this event reminded me of the 9/11 attacks. I remember feeling uneasy, and even afraid, because my school was put in lockdown; I remember seeing the many military vehicles and planes patrolling the city of Houston; I remember the uncertainty as all we saw in the news for the next few weeks was the fear. Even as we got back to school, you could sense the fear in everyone that war might start at any second or that more attacks may come in the following days. Since then, we have taken measures that have change how we travel, but over time, we got comfortable, and it has become the norm. This shooting is unfortunate. It should sadden our hearts. It should not become the norm, but I fear that over time, we will move on with our lives.
A friend asks the question, “if there is a God, why do things like this happened?” It is a fair question by someone who does not believe in God because in his mind how can a God that is so loving and all powerful allow these horrible things too happened to the most innocent and vulnerable group in our society. No sane person would ever say that children deserve to be massacred. The reality is, that these things happen because we live in a world that is ruled by sin. A world that dehumanizes people leads to horrible acts because they devalue humanity. As Christians, we are to see people as image bearers. Jesus teaches that the two greatest commandments are to love God and to love our neighbors as ourselves. Our world is very different than the one that I grew up in, but there is one constant: our God is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. I don’t have an answer that will satisfy my friend’s question, but the reality is that these events happen when we live a life that is not guided by God. Brothers and sisters, lets us stand up as the people of God and pray to our God who hears our voice. As the ones who are made righteous by God, let us pray for the healing of our nation and for us to shine the light of Jesus to our neighbors.
My prayer is that we don’t forget these tragedies, and that we can be light in these times of darkness in our communities. And for us to remember the words of the prophet Micah 6:8
“He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”