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| photo from Wikipedia "Sandy Hook Elem. School Shooting" |
Insanity.
Surrounding
the time of this insanity, joy and hope filled the streets decorated for
Christmas. Perhaps the contrast darkened
the situation at Sandy Hook a little bit more, but probably not—that event cloaked
itself enough in black mourning clothes.
So, did the opposite happen? Did the
tragedy darken your Christmas?
I was
blessed this year with having all my children, children-in-law, and grandchild
with me for the Christmas season as well as having a refreshing time with much
of my extended family. Even so, thoughts
of these other mothers* came to mind.
They had to stare at Christmas presents under a brightly decorated tree
that would never be opened by the child whose name danced across its
label. With tear stained cheeks, they
strained to hear stirrings of little feet trying to sneak out of bed Christmas
Eve. They prayed both for the morning to
come quickly so the lonely misery of Christmas Eve would end and for the
morning to never come so they would not have to endure a giggle-free Christmas
morning. I pray that I never have to
live through their misery, whether it is at Christmas time or any other time of
the year.
Unfortunately,
although I cannot say, "I know what you are going through," too many
other mothers can. Ask the mothers in
Rwanda or Croatia in recent years. Ask
the mothers, especially the Jewish mothers, in Nazi Germany. Ask the mothers in Israel living at the birth
of our A.D. calendar.
At the time
of this latter event, King Herod of Judea learned from distinguished visitors
to his land that they were seeking the King
of the Jews, who, by all signs, had recently been born. Horrified, the reigning king shortly after sent
out a decree to kill all male children two years old and younger living in or
near Bethlehem in an attempt to make sure he eliminated the promised one. (Luke
2:1-16) Insanity.
Warned
ahead of time, Joseph had lovingly taken young Jesus and Jesus' mother Mary to
Egypt to escape whatever fury King Herod may choose to release. What about the others? The countless others who were ripped from
their mothers' arms and mercilessly slaughtered in front of their
families. Insanity. I cannot imagine the horror that must have
filled the streets, especially for those—and I assume this to be the majority—that
had no idea that a new "king" had been born. I doubt the soldiers supplied any type of
reason why the king had ordered this murdering rampage. Confused, these mothers figuratively had
their hearts ripped from their chests.
They would understand the pain of the mothers in Newtown, Connecticut.
The
question left is, "Does God understand?" Where is He in all this? Despite my inability to truly know the
answers to these questions, I do know where he was. He was
lying in a manger after his birth. He was hunted by King Herod and was
on-the-run with Joseph and Mary. As a
human adult, he was flogged and beaten until he was nearly lifeless. Then he was nailed to a cross where this
sinless being willingly and lovingly died.
He understands what it is like to be attacked although he was innocent
of wrong doing.
You might
be saying, "Wait, a minute. Aren't
you talking about Jesus?" Yes, I
am. Jesus is not only the Son of God but
also God in the flesh. There is one god
who manifests himself (or shows himself or functions) as three: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy
Spirit. Although Jesus is God, he is not
the totality of God, otherwise everything else would have fallen apart if God
had allowed his total being to be trapped in one place at one time. Thus, Jesus is the Son (part) of God. While the Son walked as a human, the Father (and
Holy Spirit) was over everything and everyone.
(I am not a theologian, but this is the best way I can explain it.)
The point
is: God is here with us. He even physically walked among us for a time. He does understand. Yet, there are many things I cannot
comprehend. I do not understand why he
did not stop the mad man that killed the children in Sandy Hook or one that
killed the children in Israel at the time of Jesus' birth. I also do not understand why he willingly put
on the restrictive confines of a human body.
I do not understand why he did not beam death rays from his eyes to vaporize
the Roman soldiers who beat him with whips designed to tear and mutilate flesh
or to zap the Jews (and Gentiles) who mocked him along his death march when
everything he did was for them.
I do not
understand how he can love the sinful, hateful, and insane creatures called
human beings, but he does. Love drove him
to design a plan of salvation in place before the first sin was committed in
the Garden of Eden and before the first murder took place a few years
later. At the right time, love compelled
him to humble himself and take on the form of a man. Love convinced him to
submit to a crucifixion (despite his unearthly potential to resist it) even
when the human part of him was feeling abandoned. Love sang the victory song of his
resurrection (and of his conquering of sin and death). I do not understand why he loves us, but he
does.
However,
the plan begun in ages past has not yet been completed. We stand confused and lost because we cannot
see the culmination of his design.
Fortunately, we do not need to see the end; we just have to trust the
Designer. Evidence of our trust can be
found in our following his example:
loving despite the hatred and insanity around us. On the cross, Jesus cried out with love and
forgiveness, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are
doing." (Luke 23:34) In Nazi occupied areas, the insanity of
Hitler was thwarted by the compassion of many who preserved hidden Jews. The words of hope that radiate from the
incident at Sandy Hook are rooted in acts of love and compassion. Love conquers insanity. What have you done today to throw love into
the face of insanity?
*I realize this tragedy affects more than mothers—fathers,
grandparents, siblings—but being who I am, I am writing from a mother's perspective.
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