I am mother.
I am a teacher.
I am a Christian.
My heart has broken over the Connecticut shooting.
I had the privilege of substitute teaching in a local elementary school yesterday and watching the response of teachers and administrators... Christian and non-Christian alike, reassure these children that they love them and would absolutely do anything, including risking their own life, to keep them safe.
Because I was a floater for meetings yesterday, I had a lot of free time and was able to spend some time in the teacher's lounge. I was able to hear special ed teachers discuss some of the heartbreaking cases of violent, handicapped, mentally ill children who could also be terribly sweet and the nightmare that their parents, GOOD parents had to go through.
It even brought back to mind a bright, adorable little kindergarten girl I had in class a few years ago that would fly into violent rages against me and her classmates and the sweet Christian principal who was doing all she could to help this child.
I also had the privilege yesterday of being invited into a conversation by a little 2nd grade girl about what I thought about Jesus that had absolutely nothing to do with Connecticut and was not spurred on at all by me. But, I had the chance, for 30 seconds, to let her know, that yes, I did, in fact, personally, love Jesus very much.
I've heard Mike Huckabee's thoughts and others that have similar, and for the most part, I do agree.
I think there is a ridiculous irony between banning prayer in school but it being our "go to" first in times of tragedy. I think as a society, and even as individuals, Christian or not, we all have a huge problem with "using God" when he's convenient. Kind of points to the depravity of all our souls.. not just one group or sect.
The part that I must disagree with, however, (and I've heard it everywhere on facebook) is that we have some kind of power to "escort God" out of any place.
It is only by God's choosing that He steps back and allows us to take prayer out of school.
It is only by God's choosing that He allows babies to be aborted.
It is only by God's choosing that He allowed the tragedy in Connecticut.
It is only by God's GRACE and choosing that an elementary school in Indiana and a high school in Oklahoma were not attacked as well.. I've read news reports that people were arrested for plotting attacks in these places on the same Friday...
Oh, boy is He in our schools, and oh boy, does He hold back a lot of evil.
Sin is everywhere. It is rampant, and man does have free will. I don't know why God chooses to stop it sometimes and other times, he doesn't. BUT, I can tell you this. NOTHING happens unless God allows it and unless a higher purpose, a deeper meaning, a light pointing back to Him, results.
I just have to ask this question. Could it be possible that prayer in school and a moralistic society back 50 to 100 years ago is what made so many carnal Christians? After all, moralism was all around us. Everyone went to church. Prayer was in school. If there was sin, it was often covered up, and not spoken about.
Could we entertain the thought, for just a moment, that it is part of God's divine plan that we Christians feel a little "uncomfortable", "pressured", "backed into a corner"? After all, in other countries, when Christ is "banned", a passion and a fervor fills the church, and people remember the truth of who Jesus is all over again.
I think, that in these times to come, the true Christian will stand out.
The true Christian will be the one offering help to the mother of the mentally ill boy in her daughter's class of whom all the other parents and children are afraid.
The true Christian will be offering the pregnant teen a place to stay as she wrestles with her future.
The true Christian will bring her husband/his wife alongside him/her and befriend the couple who is so desperately struggling in their marriage or maybe (gasp, dare I say it) the homosexual couple on their street.
The true Christian teacher will be ready with a response when a curious elementary student asks about who this Jesus guy really is.
This is just speculation.. but I just wonder 75 years ago.. how many of those real, raw vulnerable questions were being asked in classrooms? How many children just assumed Jesus because we were comfortable in our faith.
My heart, again, breaks for those parents and families in Connecticut. I, in my human mind, cannot rationalize a reason big enough for God's allowance of this. I can sympathize with parents' anger and bitterness and all the grief.
However, He knows why this happened, and His glory will shine. Mike Huckabee was dead on when he talked about Obama's speech and the hugs and love of the community. That's Jesus. He's showing up. As Christians (I ,being just as guilty as anyone), we need to as well.
