Response to the School Shooting in Florida

Like you, I am heartbroken over the news of another school shooting; this one in Florida and 17 people are dead, 14 injured and the shooter is a 19 year old former student with a history of troubling behavior. And, as usual, some are politicizing the tragedy to pressure politicians to change laws and come up with some way to stop this senseless violence.

Browsing Facebook this morning I saw a post from Daryl Fulp, a friend we met and served with in Guatemala this past Summer. We worked with Hope for Home Ministries which was founded by he and his family and serves the very least in Guatemala. They minister to the mentally and physically challenged and their families in Guatemala. Visit their website here to learn more about their amazing ministry.  

Daryl posted an incredible response to the tragedy in Florida:

To my brothers and sisters in Christ:
Like you, my heart is broken by the events in Florida today. And I want to remind us all of the truth that we should already know: There is no political cure. The crisis our nation faces is a crisis of the heart. And our only hope is the One who can transform hearts.

Let others argue over politics. Let others pursue dead end roads. And let us focus on the One True Cure that they all seek without realizing. Instead of arguing, let’s love. Instead of shaking angry fists, let’s reach out our hands to those with whom we disagree. Let us spread the Gospel instead of adding to the overwhelming noise that threatens to consume. And let us share Jesus as we live and speak. We have the only Hope within us. Let’s go spread Him around.

 Someone commented on his post and made reference to how Jesus would respond to such a situation. The gist of the response is that Jesus would take action to enact change. In his words, the responder said that Jesus would " be raising hell for situations like these. right? when it wasn’t right, he took action." Daryl then responded to the responder with, what I think is the most powerful statement on the real problem in our world to day - and it's not "the world" it's the church:

 Daryl Fulp: I am not sure what “raising hell“would accomplish? Do you mean getting angry? At whom? Angry at the government? Angry at a young man who was so broken by sin that he did something like this? While it is true that Jesus got angry at times and would speak hard words, those words were never directed at politics or those who were dead in their own sins. Jesus reserved his anger for those who used God’s name, but failed to represent Him correctly. So, if Jesus were on the earth right now as a man, I believe he would likely have some hard words. But I believe those words would be directed at his church. We have failed to live out his most important instructions. We have failed to love God. We have failed to love each other. And we have certainly failed to love those that we consider our “enemies.“ And we are failing horribly at the great commission. As the culture deteriorates, we love to look around at the decline and pretend it is not our fault. It is obviously those lousy politicians or those jerks on the other side of the aisle. And yet, we claim to have the secret of true hope, love, peace and fulfillment. We claim to have relationship with the only One who can truly transform, a heart. So, if we really believe that, we shouldn’t be blasting sinners, we should be loving them and reaching them. We should be their friends. They should be our golfing and hunting buddies. They should be a part of our Super Bowl parties and book clubs. We should be seeking out the lost and hurting and eating lunch with them. Instead of blasting those with whom we disagree we should be loving them and hanging out with them. And if they are the famous and powerful to whom we have no access, we should be praying for believers around them to do the same. The world needs salt and light now. “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.” Matthew‬ ‭5:13‬ ‭NIV‬‬

"For the time has come for judgment, and it must begin with God's household." (1 Peter 4:17) Please, let us read and heed these powerful words from Daryl. If we, the Body of Christ,  are to resolve the real problem in the world today, we have to begin by looking in the mirror; we have to change and truly begin living out the gospel. Let it begin with me...