03.24.05

Monday (03.21.05), in Red Lake, Minnesota there was another school shooting killing one teacher, a school security guard, five students and wounding 7 others before the gunman took his own life. Before arriving at the school Jeff Wiese also apparently killed his grandfather and his grandfather‘s companion.

This week I am resending devotionals written in response to previous school shootings and similar tragedies. The devotional today was written after the Columbine school tragedy.

We Know Why

(Originally sent 12-8-99)

You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men. You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. - Matthew 5:13-16.

We know why we continue to have school shootings, work place shootings, domestic violence and all the rest. The situation in the United States is symptomatic of its citizens. The United States says on its currency “In God We Trust.” Yet, at the same time the government tries to strip morality through the separation of church and state doctrine. In the place or religious morality is left some kind of bland humanist nonsense, which tries to justify the lack of morality in the name of human progress. But if we look at the citizens of this country we see much the same. The majority of the people of the United States say they believe in God. They just don’t live it with their lives.

As a result of our lip service to God we have millions of babies being murdered every year in the name of expedience. We call it abortion but God calls it murder. We have violence on television, in movies, in video games, in our homes, in our work places, on the streets, and even in our churches. Our national sport is football and basketball is a close second, which is sometimes like football without the pads. That’s not even to mention ice hockey, or wrestling, or boxing, or the martial arts! How could a nice boy who is an honor student and goes to church point a gun at his fellow students and begin firing? Wake up America! We know why! The question is when will we do something about it?

Edward Gibbon in “The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire” says there were several major causes for the decline and then the fall of the Roman Empire. Here are a few of them:

1. The mounting desire for pleasure and the brutalization of sports.

2. The breakdown of the family and the increase of divorce.

3. The decay of religion into many confusing forms, leaving the people without a uniform faith.

Sound familiar?

This country can change. This world can change. It begins with each one of us. We let our light shine. We become the salt that preserves. We begin with ourselves and branch out from there. What will you do today to make this a better world?