Hurts

I was in the middle of typing a blog post with my final semester thoughts about saving public education on Friday when I heard the news. That's when I realized that the "peace education" I'd been reading about and inspired by was much further away then even I realized.

Innocent children. Mothers. Teachers. Friends. Sisters. Brothers. Nieces. Nephews. Friends. Neighbors. Taken from this earth long before their time. I spent early Friday crying and watching the news/reading online. The selfish me wanted to change the channel and forget.

The media uproar and unwillingness to get facts straight before actually reporting them did inspire me to take a break from the news to pray. I could not get the image of police officers holding one another and crying out of my brain.

What must these men have walked in on in an elementary school in Connecticut? What images are haunting them that they hope no one else ever has to witness. They were the first people I prayed for.

The second were, of course, those killed I prayed it happened quickly and painlessly and that Jesus saw fit for them to enter heaven.

Third I prayed for the families who lost babies and who lost parents. The hurt they must live with is nothing my small mind can fathom.

But my fleshly body kept me from praying for the shooter. My heart was hard and I fought back feelings to say I didn't care what happened to him and for a split second thought of joining those who were quickly damning him to hell.

But that isn't Jesus' heart. The hurt this man must have felt and the issues he faced are incomprehensible for him to react in such a dramatic way. So I prayed for him too.

I won't debate guns during this time of mourning but what I will do is pray for change.
I will pray that we can detect instability in the lives of our loved ones and be there for them rather than shun them. I pray that we will be conscious of checking on and caring for those who are facing hurts we will never feel.

I pray that children can feel safe going to school. I pray that Jesus will bring peace that passeth all understanding to the community of Newtown and that they can heal just as the Virginia Tech community did several years ago.

I ask that everyone who is considering defending or blaming guns during this most difficult time please pray instead. Send well wishes for these families and pray that some sense of normalcy can return to their lives.

I also pray that we remember that there is good in our world. Our media is obsessed with covering negativity and that is absolutely a part of this world. But please don't get bogged down in thinking our world is terrible. There are good people who do good things everyday and do not reach the celebrity status of this shooter. Remember these families in your prayers and thoughts this holiday season but also remember good people exist if you take a moment to look for them (p.s. they won't be featured on TV).

 

I'm asking all of my blog readers to look at the names of the victims and select one's family to pray for earnestly throughout this holiday season. Pray that God would give them peace and comfort.