School Tragedies

The news is covered with two major issues. I'm sure that the bloggers are consumed with these issues as well. One, three different school attacks in 2 weeks time. Two, a congressman sending inappropriate emails and IMs to a teen.

I remember Columbine, vividly. I don't think very many of us have forgotten. But it still happens. Innocent children's lives are robbed from them by someone who has, shall we say, "lost it." I feel for the parents. As a parent, I can only imagine what they are going through. For about a year after Columbine, there were a number of threats at the school my children attended, 17 or 19 of them (I don't remember exactly). I was involved as a minister, a substitute at the school, a coach at the school, and a parent (the more important role). The solution, after many meetings, conversations, and investigations (no one was charged or found guilty), the threats ended after a community prayer meeting. People from the churches, the community, and adminstration and teachers came together on a Wednesday night asking God to stop the threats. Eventually, we feared the threats would be carried out. There wasn't another threat after that night.

People are hurting and people are sick in their soul's and they lash out at targets that they can easily manipulate, like children. They bully there way in and run all authority out, and hold students captive, sometimes, sadly, taking lives.

Added to this crisis is that of an adult persuing a minor for sexual misconduct. Not just adultery, but homosexual sin. I have heard at least one person say they were sick to their stomach when they learned that he had been propositioning a minor. Minor or not, it is sick, it is just worse when minor's are involved.

These perverted types are all over the place. One year I transported a severly mentally retarded 4 year old girl to a developmental preschool for the school district. Part of her mental problems came because she had been sexually molested as a baby. I got the priviledge of knowing her. She was in foster care, but was adopted about a year later by a godly, loving, Christian couple.

What is the solution. I'll be honest, I want to lash out at the attackers and the molesters. I want to see them get their punishment, the full punishment of the law. In the OT, they would have been stoned to death, but the law allows for other forms of punishment. Still, they need Jesus. Jesus wants to forgive them. Jesus wants them to surrender their selfish, sleazey life of sin for a life of repentance and forgiveness, and eternal life.

The solution is not prison, that satisfies the letter of the law, but salvation. Those who are faithful Christians, avoid sin, even the (quote-unquote) little sins. When people come to Christ, molesting, murder and more is diminished.

Let's win the world to Christ. Begin with your immediate world.

Psalm 33:3 The best instrument you have is your heart!