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“There was a shooting last night in Orlando.” After hello, it was the first thing my friend said when I greeted him before the service this past Sunday. “Something like 50 victims.”
The news brought sadness, frustration, and even some anger. Who? Why? Such a waste of precious life!
Let us pray for the survivors of this tragedy, and for the friends and families of all involved. And I pray for our nation too, we are an amazing people who’ve moved through many difficult seasons, and I pray that God uses this tragedy to draw many to Himself.
As spiritual leaders, we need to lead in our response to such events. Whether on FB, at group meetings, or in conversations both small groups and one-on-one, we must lead. Some tragedies are national in scale like this massacre in Orlando, but some are more local. And these local events might require even more care and action on our part since the issue is so close to home.
Last year, at one of the campuses where I serve students, there was a racist, homophobic death threat delivered to a well known professor. It caused an uproar on campus, and rightfully so. Students demonstrating, statements being released, letters to the editor…every conversation it seemed was dominated by this discussion.
Responses were varied and opinions were strong. How could I lead my students well?
While I think it’s important our ministry doesn’t become enslaved to current events, if we completely fail to address those events, we are being lazy and not loving well. Ultimately, in additional to many conversations and a FB post, I decided to spend a large group gathering specifically addressing the threats, praying for the schools, and exhorting each of us to love and be lights in a broken world for the glory of God! And looking back I’m really glad I did.
Later on in the year another threat came forward drawing an even more dramatic response on campus. It was difficult and confusing for some of the students who were being pressured by various friends to take differing actions. (Many students were boycotting class, signing petitions, etc.) Fear and hysteria were sweeping segments of the community. I prayed, I grieved, I listened, and I counseled my believing students to do the same, and to use their influence to point people to Jesus.
We have good news! We don’t need to be ruled by fear. As born again believers, we have hope that goes beyond our schools, threats, and whatever else comes our way.
Four thoughts that might help as we lead our students in response to tragedy:
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Pray. Pray without ceasing. Prayer should always be our first response!
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Mourn with those who mourn. Avoid a specific political response, at least initially. There is a time to mourn.
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Listen. Don’t speak too quickly. Find out what’s going on, be there for those who are grieving. Love your neighbor as yourself. Go to a vigil or a demonstration, and just listen.
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Speak life. Don’t stay silent forever! We have a deep hope in Jesus. Preach to yourself and (as appropriate!) speak words of life and hope to those around you. As children of God, we aren’t simply panglossian, we have a divine hope that the God of the universe is working everything together for the good of His people (Rom 8:28) and uses difficult times to grow our character (James 1:2–4). We don’t need to be apolitical, but our ultimate solution is Jesus.
photo credit: Vigil for Orlando via photopin (license)
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