Hands. Shoes. Planes. Salt. Hand Sanitizer. Pillows. Rocks. Freon. Plastic bags. What do all these things have in common? They are all tools people used to murder another human being. What is my point? People will use any means necessary to hurt or kill another person when they are deperate. Yes, I am going there. I am going to talk about guns and Jesus and yes, I am going to talk about them in the same sentence.
Scott and I arrived at the airport fairly early. When we sat down to eat our breakfast, Scott picked up the newspaper that was left behind. Yes, young techies, newspapers still do exist in print and not just online. The cover story was of course about the horrific shooting rampage that occured in Oregon. The article was interesting. The writer took the last six or so mad men who participated in a mass shooting and looked at their profiles, the weapons they obtained, and how they obtained them. The findings were not surprising. The guns were acquired legally. The men were reclouses not fitting in and felt jaded by something or someone. The guns they used in the actual shootings were not the big, bad, scary ones. No. They either left those in a vehicle or were on their person when they were finally apprehended or shot down. We talked about the profiles and what should be done. I am not here, however, to repeat our discussion and debate. I am here to identify a much deeper problem than guns; or weapons of any kind for that matter.
"For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places." Ephesians 6:12
We think we are in a battle against guns. Deep down, however, I think we know that the true problem here is not the weapon. While laws and regulations are necessary and right, the issue of the day is an issue that has been around for centuries: the battle for the soul.
"The thief's purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life."John 10:10
Don't be fooled. The enemy isn't guns. That's just the form he has taken. The enemy will morph into whatever form necessary to steal, kill, and destroy us. In the garden, he was a snake. In my life, he comes in the form of the negative chatter in my head. In others' lives he may present himself in trial after trial or lack of patience. The enemy is hear and he is successfully penetrating our world at a rapid pace. Don't think for one second that new laws are going to regulate him. Please don't hear me incorrectly. I do believe in background checks and I do not think one needs a sawed-off shotgun. I do fear for my children and think twice before entering a movie theater. It is the way of the day. However, I see a far greater issue going on here that is being ignored because the megaphone is speaking loudly against guns and not for lost souls.
Regardless of where you stand on this hot-button issue, I think we can all come to agreement that these men were not well mentally. Having been a teacher for many years, I can walk into a classroom and identify different types of students. I can find your ADD kid, I can spot the kindergartner who didn't attend preschool, I can see the one who didn't sleep well last night, has the speech impedement, came from a broken home. Just as I can spot these kids with a little bit of ease, I can look into these killers eyes and see such a depth of emptiness and loss that it's frightening. Their eyes are almost hollow and you can see deep into their anguished souls. These men have completely lost their souls and their only saving grace in their minds is to emass horror on others. They think they are doing right by inflicting pain, death, and terror on those that did them wrong. No where in their thinking do they see a Savior. And no one has told them about One.
Until we stand up and fight for the lost souls of this world and stop allowing the enemy to get a hold of them first, we will continue to see senseless killings. The church (meaning any believer in Christ) needs to rise up and walk alongside these hurting individuals giving them hope before all hope is lost. Somewhere down the line we put an uniform on Christ and when a person doesn't match the description, we run with fierceness in the opposite direction. This does not match the purpose for which Christ lived. He came to heal the sick. The only uniform He wears is the cross. We need to stop running from the hurting, from the sinner, and run to them BEFORE the unfathomable thought of hurting others is the only answer they can muster.
I don't know how we do this. I don't know what this looks like. I just know this is just as necessary, if not more, a conversation to be had as new gun laws. People are hurting and lost and broken and empty and full of so much ugliness. They need to know there is a Savior; not religion but One who came and died and rose so that we may have life and life abundantly even when we feel like all is hope;ess. In His last moments Jesus said in Luke 23:34, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." And they divided up his clothes by casting lots.' Jesus asked forgiveness for the very men who beat him and cast lots for his clothes. Surely, we can walk alongside those who seem so vastly different, and oftentimes scary, from us showing them a Savior who loves and accepts them for He created them before another inconceivable event happens.
Love & Blessings,
Meg
Scott and I arrived at the airport fairly early. When we sat down to eat our breakfast, Scott picked up the newspaper that was left behind. Yes, young techies, newspapers still do exist in print and not just online. The cover story was of course about the horrific shooting rampage that occured in Oregon. The article was interesting. The writer took the last six or so mad men who participated in a mass shooting and looked at their profiles, the weapons they obtained, and how they obtained them. The findings were not surprising. The guns were acquired legally. The men were reclouses not fitting in and felt jaded by something or someone. The guns they used in the actual shootings were not the big, bad, scary ones. No. They either left those in a vehicle or were on their person when they were finally apprehended or shot down. We talked about the profiles and what should be done. I am not here, however, to repeat our discussion and debate. I am here to identify a much deeper problem than guns; or weapons of any kind for that matter.
"For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places." Ephesians 6:12
We think we are in a battle against guns. Deep down, however, I think we know that the true problem here is not the weapon. While laws and regulations are necessary and right, the issue of the day is an issue that has been around for centuries: the battle for the soul.
"The thief's purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life."John 10:10
Don't be fooled. The enemy isn't guns. That's just the form he has taken. The enemy will morph into whatever form necessary to steal, kill, and destroy us. In the garden, he was a snake. In my life, he comes in the form of the negative chatter in my head. In others' lives he may present himself in trial after trial or lack of patience. The enemy is hear and he is successfully penetrating our world at a rapid pace. Don't think for one second that new laws are going to regulate him. Please don't hear me incorrectly. I do believe in background checks and I do not think one needs a sawed-off shotgun. I do fear for my children and think twice before entering a movie theater. It is the way of the day. However, I see a far greater issue going on here that is being ignored because the megaphone is speaking loudly against guns and not for lost souls.
Regardless of where you stand on this hot-button issue, I think we can all come to agreement that these men were not well mentally. Having been a teacher for many years, I can walk into a classroom and identify different types of students. I can find your ADD kid, I can spot the kindergartner who didn't attend preschool, I can see the one who didn't sleep well last night, has the speech impedement, came from a broken home. Just as I can spot these kids with a little bit of ease, I can look into these killers eyes and see such a depth of emptiness and loss that it's frightening. Their eyes are almost hollow and you can see deep into their anguished souls. These men have completely lost their souls and their only saving grace in their minds is to emass horror on others. They think they are doing right by inflicting pain, death, and terror on those that did them wrong. No where in their thinking do they see a Savior. And no one has told them about One.
Until we stand up and fight for the lost souls of this world and stop allowing the enemy to get a hold of them first, we will continue to see senseless killings. The church (meaning any believer in Christ) needs to rise up and walk alongside these hurting individuals giving them hope before all hope is lost. Somewhere down the line we put an uniform on Christ and when a person doesn't match the description, we run with fierceness in the opposite direction. This does not match the purpose for which Christ lived. He came to heal the sick. The only uniform He wears is the cross. We need to stop running from the hurting, from the sinner, and run to them BEFORE the unfathomable thought of hurting others is the only answer they can muster.
I don't know how we do this. I don't know what this looks like. I just know this is just as necessary, if not more, a conversation to be had as new gun laws. People are hurting and lost and broken and empty and full of so much ugliness. They need to know there is a Savior; not religion but One who came and died and rose so that we may have life and life abundantly even when we feel like all is hope;ess. In His last moments Jesus said in Luke 23:34, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." And they divided up his clothes by casting lots.' Jesus asked forgiveness for the very men who beat him and cast lots for his clothes. Surely, we can walk alongside those who seem so vastly different, and oftentimes scary, from us showing them a Savior who loves and accepts them for He created them before another inconceivable event happens.
Love & Blessings,
Meg
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