Monday, December 17, 2012

Jesus Wept

Jesus Wept: Statue located at Oklahoma City National Memorial

Jesus wept. It may be the shortest sentence in the bible, but I also find it one of the most powerful. What does it take to bring the Son of God to such emotion? How can it be that a Savior, who in just a few moments will bring a dead man back to life, would be in such a grievous state of sorrow?

We may not fully understand the meaning of Jesus’ tears as he stood, outside the grave of his friend Lazarus, weeping, but we can fully understand his emotional pain. The nation finds itself in mourning this week after the brutal and evil murders at Sandy Hook Elementary School. The question on everyone's lips - why? The debates rage over the cause and the cure. We argue over gun control, mental illness treatments, government restrictions, and the list goes on. Everyone has an opinion and an accusation. The argument that I am having the most trouble with, however, is that the government is to blame because it has kept God out of schools. The most reprehensible of comments came from the American Family Association's Bryan Fischer...

“Here’s the bottom line — God is not going to go where he is not wanted, We kicked God out of our public school system. I think God would say to us, hey, I would be glad to protect your children but you gotta invite me back into your world first. I’m not going to go where I’m not wanted. I am a gentleman…. Back when we had prayer, the Bible, and the Ten Commandments in schools, we did not need guns.”

Mr. Fischer is not the only one to make this argument to me; others are just as adamant that if prayer and the bible were taught in public schools then these horrific events would not be happening to our children. I am troubled by this argument for many reasons. 

First, "God is not going to go where he is not wanted, We kicked God out of our public school system." This argument requires us to believe that the government has the power to control the very presence of God. Let me assure you, there is no government on earth with that kind of power. 

Second, "I would be glad to protect your children but..." This argument requires us to believe in a God that punishes innocent babies by withdrawing from their presence. This stands in stark contrast to a risen Christ that assures us he will always be with us. It also indicates a God that is petty and vengeful and immature. This would be the kind of God that said,  “If you aren’t going to play my way I will take my toys and go home” rather than the God who says, “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” (Deut. 31:6) 

Third, "you gotta invite me back into your world first." This argument removes all concept of Grace from God's character. The greatest tenet of grace is that it is unmerited and undeserved. As a United Methodist, I believe in what John Wesley described as "Prevenient Grace" - the grace that "comes before." Our belief is that God first loves us, before we even have any concept of that love or even the ability to return that love. When we are still sinners, still lost, still unbelievers, God loves us and is at work in and around us to draw us closer and bring us to a place of recognition and acceptance. To argue that God will protect our children only when God is "invited" into our lives is not fitting with the God of such grace.

Fourth, "Back when we had prayer, the Bible, and the Ten Commandments in schools, we did not need guns.” I'm not even sure I understand the "need for guns" statement but as for the context of the statement - It is just flat out not true that when we had prayer, the Bible and the Ten Commandments in school that we were any more protected from harm. There have always been bad things happening in the world and in our schools and those bad things did not all center around a need for guns.

Fifth, this argument that the schools are responsible for the religious instruction of our children is greatly problematic. Public schools are institutions meant for academic instruction. Religious instruction should be carried out by families and by churches. I personally am not offended by the removal of teacher led prayer in school. My daughter was once forced by a teacher to read a bible in class because the teacher was trying to convince her to reject our faith and embrace the faith of the teacher, a Jehovah's Witness. I don't want my child's teacher having that kind of religious influence. I am completely in agreement that our children are not learning what they need to learn about God, about faith and about morality, but the fault and failure doesn't lie in our teachers, our schools and our government - it lies in our family priorities and in our churches. It is not my government’s job to instill values in my children; it is mine. It is not the schools job to teach the bible to my children; it is mine and church's.

The events at Sandy Hook and other similar atrocities are indeed a wake up call for all of us as Christians. We have a responsibility in how the world knows and understands God. We are God’s witnesses and proclaimers in this world and we must be very careful of that responsibility. The world (and our children) needs to know that God is with us – it is the very proclamation of Christmas – Emmanuel (God with us). We cannot let them believe that God’s presence is fickle and unsure. We cannot leave them to understand that if they don’t please God that they will be subjected to a murder’s bullet. We must do better than that.

In the face of evil, Jesus weeps. Evil happens in this world and it comes in many forms but it does not come with enough power to block out the presence of God. God was in Sandy Hook Elementary school to comfort and welcome those babies into a new life where such pain and terror need not be known. To deny God's presence there is to deny they were loved and accepted by him…and that I will never do.

Our Christmas proclamation is that the birth of Jesus brought God into the world as never before. Our Easter proclamation is that God's presence is inseparable from ours - not even death can tear us apart. That is the lesson our children need to know - the lesson the world needs to know - especially as we weep.

If we want to make the world a safer place for our children then make religious instruction in your home a priority. Find a church that takes the religious instruction of children seriously. Make church and faith a vital part of your life and your family's life and invite their friends to join you. Mentor in the schools - go ask a guidance counselor or social worker who the loners are and volunteer to mentor them. We can sit and play blame all day but only with love and commitment will we turn the tide of evil and heal the wounds of brokenness. 

Matthew 28:19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age."

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