3 CHRISTIAN RESPONSES TO THE SCHOOL SHOOTINGS

Last Saturday morning,  like millions of others, I tuned into the royal wedding. The pomp and glitter were like candy for my brain. I fantasized for a few minutes, then commented dryly to my husband in my best British accent, "Well, love, looks like our invitation got lost in the mail."

After satisfying my American curiosity for all things monarchical I returned to the guide, and the Texas School Shooting headline snapped me back into reality. With a flick of the remote I had gone from one extreme to the other.

This time my horror was tempered with weariness, and sadly, less shock than the last school shooting in Parkland. Am I becoming more desensitized to all of the violence in our country? Maybe, but I also feel a growing sense of urgency.

Accepting the fact that America is not longer safe is not the same as condoning the actions of the perpetrators. But what do we as Christians do about it?

1: PRAY

This may sound trite, but first we should not stop praying. Click to read my 3 prayers for Stoneman High.

1 Chronicles 16:11 ESV / "Seek the Lord and his strength; seek his presence continually!"

Perhaps you are discouraged by all of the violence, and wondering if one person's prayers really matter. I believe they do. First, God tells us throughout the bible( which, by the way, is loaded with violence) to keep praying. Secondly, when our prayers align with God's will they get answered. 

I ask continually that the Lord use my own tragic story to further His kingdom. On a regular basis I hear from people who tell me that my faith has encouraged them. My mess has become my message. My grief over the short lives of my sons is softened by my anticipation of glory.

Does that mean that I think school shootings, disease, and parents outliving their children are all part of God's will? Not at all. Those are by-products of a sin-wracked world, and a topic for another day. Prayer may not end the bloodshed, but it will give us an eternal perspective. It will also help us to see what our role should be.

2: DISCERN THE TIMES

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The increasing violence is an urgent reminder of the second thing I think Christians should do: Discern the times. 

Ephesians 5:16 "Making the best use of the time, because the days are evil."

 Matthew 24:12: "And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold."

Matthew 24:7 "For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. "

I could cite more passages, but you get the idea. It is becoming increasingly apparent that biblical revelations are unfolding before us. Many believers say that we are here for a reason. I am only beginning to discern mine. How about you?

In our discernment we should also take comfort in the fact that God knew all of this stuff was going to happen, and He will use it for good. In his "End times Ministry" blog Irvin Baxtor says current events are setting the stage for the biggest revival of all time.Click to read the post here.

 I have always been fascinated by the fact that I was birthed into 20th century U.S.A., and not into some other place or time period. I need to stop flicking the channel in my brain and start thinking about why I am here right now.

#3 ACT ON YOUR CONVICTIONS

Esther 4:14 : "...And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”

My third suggestion is to act on your convictions. This is the only way to bear fruit. What is the Lord telling you? This will look different for each of us. For me it meant leaving full time teaching to make room for more writing. I'm living on a smaller income, but I'm writing for a greater purpose.

It could mean sharing the gospel, getting involved in that ministry that you've been putting off, getting help for an addiction, forgiving someone, standing up to someone, or political activism. Fill in the blank and do it. Creation is groaning louder than ever.

In the parable of the bags of gold from Matthew 25 (Click here to read.) three servants are given bags of gold. Two invest wisely and get a return on their money. The servant who buries his gold is the loser. The good and faithful servants put their gifts to work.

Colossians 1:10: "So as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God."

Could it be that we Christians are here in this most difficult of times because we have been specially equipped to do certain works?

Recently I had the opportunity to share my faith with the mom of one of the Parkland shooting victims. Because I know what it is like to bury a teenager I can speak to her from a place like no other. 

Who can you speak to?

Now more than ever we need to be the light. I don't know about you, but any world where I can flick instantly from a fairy tale wedding to a massacre needs all the light it can get.

THE BIBLICAL BASIS FOR SPONSORSHIP

I chose my first sponsor because she was a snappy dresser. She wore stylish clothes and accessorized well. I envisioned us ensconced in a cozy corner at Starbucks having deep and meaningful conversations, followed immediately by shopping.

After she stopped returning my calls, and a friend informed me that she had relapsed, I determined that my criteria for selecting sponsors was, perhaps, a bit faulty.

AA literature defines a sponsor as "An alcoholic who has made some progress in the recovery program shares that experience on a continuous, individual basis with another alcoholic who is attempting to attain sobriety through AA."

The model is the same for other recovery programs such as Al-Anon, NA, CA, and countless others.

But, did you know that the concept of sponsorship is as old as the bible?

In Titus 2 Paul instructs us to teach one another..."what is appropriate to sound doctrine. Teach the older men to be temperate, worthy of respect, self-controlled, and sound in faith, ...teach the older women... not to be slanderers or addicted to too much wine, but to teach what is good. Then they can urge the younger women to love...Similarly, encourage the young men to be self-controlled..."

In the biblical days it was the older folks of the same gender teaching the younger ones. In our case, it is those who are older in their recovery teaching those who are younger in sobriety. 

This structure of one on one mentorship is all over the bible: Paul and Timothy; Moses and Joshua, Eli and Samuel, Naomi and Ruth, just to name a few.

Ephesians 4:2-3 gives a beautiful description of the sponsor-sponsee relationship. "With all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace."

My own personal definition of a sponsor is "someone who introduces and assists in the maintenance of a sober lifestyle through the 12 steps." Along the way we become bonded in spirit. 

The book Alcoholics Anonymous , Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc. states that "We are people who normally would not mix. But there exists among us a fellowship,a friendliness, and an understanding which is indescribably wonderful...The feeling of having shared in a common peril is one element in the powerful cement which binds us..."

I have seen men with advanced degrees being schooled by construction workers. The latter knew how to live a sober lifestyle, and the former wanted what they had. All pretense of income status and lifestyle dissolves when we are fighting for our lives.

It warms my heart when I see big, burly, 'Al' in his grimy work boots, embrace 'Joe' in his Brooks Brothers suit. After all, Jesus chose a bunch of blue collar guys to spread the most important message in history. And he did this intentionally.

1 Samuel 16:7:"But the Lord said to Samuel, "Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart."

As our sponsor guides us through the recovery process we get a new set of spiritual eyes. Sharing our deepest fears, letting go of our resentments, and learning to forgive enables us to see each other through the eyes of Jesus. We become each others' good Samaritans. 

Being a sponsor is equally important. As we share our spiritual toolkit with a newcomer our own tools are sharpened and we continue to learn more about ourselves. We feel that peace that surpasses all understanding.

I like to think that the spirit of love and tolerance which pervades a successful recovery relationship is similar to how we will all relate to each other when we get to heaven. That is one reason I am a grateful, recovering alcoholic.

What has your sponsorship experience been like? Please leave a comment below.