Is There Hope for a Violent America

On February 14th, 19-year-old Nikolas Cruz went to Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida and opened fire killing 17 and wounding many more. It brought to the forefront again the hotly debated issue of gun control and the often overlooked issue of school safety. Being a high school teacher myself the issue hits close to home. I know the difficulties of trying to both instruct students as well as trying to keep a safe environment on a sprawling, constantly moving campus. Just yesterday our school was put on lockdown because one of our teachers was threatened. What is the answer? Is it tighter gun control? More guards and gates at the school? There are many suggestions but few easy answers. I believe it goes much deeper than what laws are passed and who governs us. These issues deal with the heart of man, and the heart of man is not easily legislated.

Hosea 4:1-3 paints a vivid picture of the problems we face as a nation and a society. It says, “Hear the word of the Lord, ye children of Israel: for the Lord hath a controversy with the inhabitants of the land, because there is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land. By swearing, and lying, and killing, and stealing, and committing adultery, they break out, and blood toucheth blood. Therefore shall the land mourn, and every one that dwelleth therein shall languish, with the beasts of the field, and with the fowls of heaven; yea, the fishes of the sea also shall be taken away.”

The problem is not that we have taken God out of school or even society. The problem is that we have removed the whole idea of a divine creator and judge from our thinking. The idea that there is a creator who we must stand before one day and give an account for all of are actions. Let me give you example. If I gave a test in school and told my students that no matter what they did they would not have to answer to me or to the administrator, many of my students would cheat. Not all, but I would dare say most. Why? Because cheating is not wrong? No. Because there is no one to answer to for their actions.

You see we have removed the truth that there are certain natural laws that we must abide by instituted by a divine creator, and that one day there is a God who we must give an account to for all of are actions. When you remove God from the equation we become our own god with are own set of rules. When that happens, you are capable of anything. If you have no one to answer to when you leave this world, why not do whatever you please, because it doesn’t matter what happens to you after you die. This is a slippery slope to be on. So what is the answer? More laws? More security? Hosea 6:1 says this “Come , and let us return unto the Lord: for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up.” Our only hope is a return to God. Only He can heal us. Only He can bind us up. That is where our only hope is for society, and that is where our only hope is in life.