How Can It Be?

How can it be that our society has come to a point where an armed gunman can storm into an elementary school and open fire on innocent children? How have we gotten to this point? What, if anything, can be done to curb the insanity going on around us? The slaughter (worldwide) of innocent men, women, and children (both the unborn and those who were born)? Is it too late to stop the pure evil we now see? I have hesitated to post this. It's terribly troubling, however, the subject needs to be discussed or nothing will ever change.

On Friday, December 14, 2012, 20 year old  Adam Lanza, entered Sandy Hook Elementary in Newton, Connecticut. He was heavily armed and intent on doing the unthinkable. Why did he pick this particular school? We don't know. What caused him to do what he did? Again, at this point there are no clear cut answers. Was innocence lost? Yes! Tragically, too many innocent children and those who were trying to protect them, perished. Before all was said and done, a total of 26 people died. Twenty of those gunned down were children. The schools principal and guidance counselor were also among the dead.

Ironically, just a few hours earlier, I had joined with some of my co-workers for a few minutes to pray together. It's something we have been doing each Friday morning. We take a few minutes to pray for our students, teachers, administrators, families, and whatever else we feel impressed to pray about. The morning was crisp and cool. With the Christmas holiday rapidly approaching, there was a feeling of joy and anticipation in the air. Our time together felt especially good that morning. Then, shortly after lunch, I saw a news headline on my cellphone about the shooting at Sandy Hook. I was stunned. I looked around our classroom and couldn't wrap my head around what was happening at another school.

The rest of the afternoon seemed to move at a different pace. There was a somber feeling and those of us who had heard the news talked quietly so as to not let our kiddos know what had happened. It was so sad thinking of the hearts of parents and loved ones that were obviously breaking. In the blink of an eye, so much had changed. Lives were turned upside down and would never ever be the same.

Since the shooting there has been intense debate about gun control. Personally, I do not think that is the answer. You can not legislate evil intentions. The weapons used at Sandy Hook were purchased legally. Unfortunately, they were used by a very disturbed young man who ultimately turned a weapon on himself and committed suicide. None of this should have happened. I don't have the answers as to what to do to stop this kind of horrific tragedy from happening in the future. But at the same time I don't believe a solution isn't out there. If nothing else, I will be praying. I will pray for the families. I will pray for the children. And I will pray for hearts to be softened... for violence to be abhorred.... for this insanity to stop.