Two weeks ago a 6 year old child at school pulled a 9mm handgun from his backpack and shot his 25 year old teacher in the chest. Thankfully, the teacher is expected to fully recover. When we read or hear of a story like that our first thought is usually along the lines of: How could something like this even be possible?
How did a 6 year old have access to a 9mm weapon? How did he know how to use it? How did he know what it could do? What kind of family life does he have? How could a 6 year old even get to the place were he would WANT to harm anyone in ANY fashion? I don’t know the answers to those questions and will rightfully withhold judgement… but ever since reading that story I have been deeply troubled.
My last youth ministry partnered with the Cleveland City School, George Washington Carver Elementary on East 55th Street. Once, when talking with the principal, she informed me that seven out of the ten children who were playing with our youth group kids on the playground had seen someone shot. Two out of ten had actually seen someone killed. As I watched these seven and eight year olds run and shout; joyfully playing with our teens, I could not help but think how the consequences of their lost innocence could lead to a life of repeating the very things they have witnessed.
Here is the harsh reality that faces the world today: society has conditioned people to devalue human life. People are abused, raped and slaughtered in war as those perpetrating the violence claim some higher ideal. Racism degrades people simply over a different ethnicity or the color of their skin — and it is alive and well. Culture seeks to instill the idea that gender has no inherited value, but instead of affirming the minority, the majority are marginalized. We are outraged when a pregnant woman is murdered, and yet fight for the right to terminate children in the womb.
And we (society) have the audacity to act in surprised outrage when someone goes on a shooting spree? We react in disbelief to racism even as we secretly harbor bigotry in our hearts. We are surprised that 6, 7 and 8 year olds hold no reverence for human life even as we shout at the top of our lungs for the right to end human life before it has truly begun. We have created our culture — a culture steeped in sin.
So… How ought we respond as followers of Christ? It’s really quite simple and the biblical debate is all one-sided… the Christian ought to respond by valuing ALL human life. Anyone who disagrees with that — either does not understand the totality of Scripture… or… they are willfully ignoring it. Jesus taught of two great commandments. 1) Love God… and 2) Love others.
Yes, it IS as simple as that. Christians are to love EVERYONE. We are to love. Not judge who is worthy of love. Not judge if others’ lives are worth living to be loved. We are to love because judging others is WAAAYYY above our pay grade.
Today is Sanctity of Life Day. The reminder that all people are created by God… in his image… for his purposes… and for his glory. Deciding whether some are worthy of that honor is again WAAAAYYY above our pay grade.
God told Isaiah, “Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow. ” Isaiah 1:17 NIV Jesus said that when we give someone food, water, clothing, attention and compassion it is as if we have done those things directly to Him. Why would He claim that? Because ALL human life is sacred to Him. Do you know what is NOT above our pay grade? Pushing back on culture. May the followers of Jesus be the Champions of the oppressed!
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