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How Should Christians React to School Shootings?

“There’s been another school shooting.”

This phrase is one that should never become commonplace. Unfortunately, the frequency in which these atrocities are happening are making it a phrase with which many are becoming numb.

After all, a Washington Post article based upon stats collected by the Department of Defense claimed there have been twice as many students killed in school shootings in 2018 than who lost their lives while actively deployed in the military. This astounding stat shows just how many young lives have been taken needlessly this year.

Admittedly, it is still far more dangerous overall to join the military than simply go to school. In addition, the number of military lives lost did not include those who died in training accidents or count a recent plane crash in Georgia. Therefore, the number of students who lost their lives versus those who perished in the military is likely skewed. Also, there are many students who go to school each day and come home safely. However, the sheer volume of these shootings combined with the fact that they happen in an environment that should be safe makes them abhorrent to say the least.

According to columnist Greg Stier of The Christian Post, there are a few steps Christians should take after such events. First of all, there is mourning.

In the book of Ecclesiastes, the Bible says there is a time for everything under the sun and a time to mourn. Now is most certainly the time for those affected and even those who are not personally affected by school shootings to mourn for the lives lost. Christians should also mourn for the teachers and teenagers who lived through these horrific events.

In addition to mourning for those who have endured such trauma, who went on living even while classmates and friends were gunned down all around them, Christians should also mourn the fact that so many young people were not given hope and love, which could have prevented them from turning to violence. It’s tragic that so many young people feel their lives are hopeless and worthless. This hopelessness and lack of respect for life in general is what leads to such violence.

It’s also important for Christians to remember all the victim’s families and those who lived through the shooting in prayer. That they may be healed of the emotional scars with which they now suffer. One organization, everyschool.com allows Christians to adopt a high school, giving them the opportunity to commit personally to pray for the kids, teachers, and faculty who walk its halls each day.

There are as many opinions on what it takes to prevent these tragedies. Some argue tougher gun laws are the answer. Others believe arming teachers would be best. Others say there is a need for metal detectors at each of a school’s entry point. However, above all those potential changes, perhaps the single best way to prevent this type of violence is to share the hope of Jesus with those who would seek to act in such a violent manner.

It’s impossible to know how many instances could be prevented if the perpetrators were led to Christ and given much-needed hope in their young lives.

There are many ways Christians can share the Gospel with those around them. One way is the Dare 2 Share Live event scheduled to take place on October 13th, 2018. This event was created to mobilize some 25,000 teenagers in their own communities. It will be from coast-to-coast and encompass 100 different cities. The purpose is to equip teens to go out and share the good news of Jesus with their classmates and friends. Equipping teens themselves to reach their peers makes the most sense as they have the best opportunity to share Christ’s love with those around them day in and day out.

What it will take to solve the problem of school shootings resides in the heart of each person in America. Though there are lots of ways to make it harder for people to act on their violent tendencies, as mentioned above, the evil in their hearts has to be addressed to prevent these tragedies.

America should never get to the point that the phrase “there’s been another school shooting” becomes mundane. Unfortunately, if there isn’t a societal shift made to move back towards God, there will more than likely be more and more instances occurring and not less.

~ 1776 Christian

 


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