By Brandon Westgate — School shooting. Two words that simply do not belong adjacent to one another in the same sentence, and yet we find ourselves wrestling with the loss of both innocents and innocence once again. The senseless loss of life in that small town school in Uvalde, Texas has left us stunned, heartbroken, and angry.

Stunned because these acts of violence against the youngest members of our society seem to hit us differently as we come to grips with the reality of human, sinful nature. The depths to which humanity has fallen and just how evil man can be is revealed through these heinous acts. To think that someone could rob a child of their most precious right, the opportunity to grow up and realize their full potential, is devastating and can shake us to our core.

Our hearts break not only as we contemplate the loss of innocent children but as we also realize that the siblings, parents, and extended families of these victims are grieving in a way that makes condolences, however sincere they may be expressed, seem trivial. As emotions swell, our grief and frustration can quickly devolve into anger towards the person responsible for committing such a heartless act of unfettered hostility.

So, what are we to do?

How are we to respond in a way that is healthy?

How can we make sense of such evil that was intentionally focused on these children?

To simply say this is a fallen world we live in or that evil is being unfettered among us, so that we should expect things like this, doesn’t help much. While these statements may be true in some way, they offer minimal comfort to those who are mourning and to those seeking a real answer to these complex issues.

It is true that we are living in unprecedented times. In Matthew 24, Jesus was asked what it would be like prior to His return. In verse 12, Matthew quotes Jesus as saying, “And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold.”

It would be easy for us to take that one verse and find a measure of justification for the evil that seems to rule the day. But in taking such a stance, where is the hope for the future? I speak of the hope that each one of us possesses, the hope that gives us the motivation to plan and dream and live our best life with assurance and confidence?

This may be an excellent time to remind one another that our hope does not come through legislation that may or may not be enacted. Our hope does not come through who governs us locally or nationally. Our hope does not come from what great things we might do as a nation.

Our hope comes from the power of God, given us through the Holy Spirit, who both inspires and empowers every believer to good works. Hope from God pours out of the heart of every sincere believer, and that God-fueled hope is felt in the hearts of others who have been impacted by it.

You see, Jesus didn’t stop His statement in Matthew 24 with a message of doom. He continued His thought in that very next verse, “But he (or she) who endures to the end shall be saved.”

Jesus knew that we would face challenging moments such as these inexplicable acts of violence which rob children of their innocence. But He wraps up his thought here with a message of hope. Yes, we live in a sin-sick world. Yes, sometimes it appears as though evil has won the day.  But Jesus offers hope to every person with a promise of eternal comfort.

These present events serve as a stark reminder of the contrast between the present world we occupy and the promised world that will ultimately be our forever home. While we are here, it is the heart-filled actions of believers that push back against the tide of evil.

We are to overcome evil with good. As we collaborate with Jesus, we offer comfort and hope to one another so that every selfless act of kindness serves as a reminder that the God of mercy has an ultimate plan to save all who come to Him by faith.

Even so, come Lord Jesus!

–Brandon Westgate is RMC youth director; photo by Brandon Westgate