God and Guns and Idols Revealed in the Aftermath

In the wake of tragedies like the deaths in Uvalde, Texas, people talk. They throw lots and lots of words at the pain, mostly because that caliber of pain cries out for answers. The crying out part is biblical.

When Cain murdered his brother Abel, God told Cain: “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood is crying to me from the ground.” (Genesis 4:10 ESV)

In Genesis 9, when Noah and his family emerged from the ark, God told Noah, “And for your lifeblood I will require a reckoning: from every beast I will require it and from man. From his fellow man I will require a reckoning for the life of man.”

The outcry of the blood of those lost in the tragedy and the need for a reckoning is as ancient as humanity. Of course, we must consider what must change. Of course.

But understand this, the immediate scramble for answers reveals our shared idols. Let’s not miss that part. What is the first place we looked for salvation from this shooting? Was it our politicians and legal authority? Was it mental health providers and pharmaceutical salvos? Was it educators? Security and alarm systems? Hollywood? Video games? Media? First responders?

None of those things are bad when viewed in the right perspective. But elevated to the place of ultimate protection from evil turns the dial beyond what these agencies and ideals were designed to provide.

When the Psalmist wrote Psalm 121, the hills around him were places of idol worship. Altars and poles were erected on the high places for worship of false gods. This is the context of his opening words, “I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth” (vs1-2).

The Psalmist is facing trouble and all about him are the places that others seek answers. He redirects his eyes to the One True God for help. And so must we.

That doesn’t mean that part of our response to societal problems doesn’t involve new laws or political influence, changes in mental health, new security measures, or new increased training for first responders. But where we turn first, where we find wisdom, from where we draw strength, comfort, and direction makes all the difference. Reflection on our gut reaction is instructive to areas where repentance and change will bear better fruit.

As we lay down our idols and turn toward God, some of those things we broke or twisted by making them into gods, suddenly become useful tools when rightly perceived as instruments, not superpowers against all evil. This isn’t Gotham city and the mayor doesn’t have a beacon to elicit help from a mythical hero.

In the aftermath and the fallout, there are reasons to believe this horrific event was a perfect storm of multi-system failures in our society. There is no single answer. There is no solitary solution. But that doesn’t mean we sit back and wait for the next gunman.

Those outside the church will go about their process and they are free to do that. Let them stake their poles on all the high hills. Jesus-followers, though, must seek Him first.

“‘God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.’ Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.” James 4:6-10 ESV

In this, we can all make a difference. When there is a clear and evident societal failure, the church must take responsibility for failing to be salt and light. Every believer in that culture must consider James’ words and seek God. Then, wisdom from on high enters our souls, our thinking, and our words. It informs our decisions and actions. We become more effective advocates for the right change.

And God may surprise us. He sees what we don’t. He knows what part each of us can play. We have more power than we realize when we rightly place God above all other idols.

He sees every solitary gunman currently listening to the wrong voices, quietly planning the next disaster, and silently eluding every alert system we currently have in place. God sees. And we are God’s people. More reason to consider pauses in our words to listen and really hear what He is saying even if your home is miles from Uvalde. Your neighbor may be at the epicenter of the next headline and God may have already tried to get your attention.

God approached Cain and this was their exchange. “Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is Abel your brother?” He said, “I do not know; am I my brother’s keeper?”

Yes. Yes, we are. Our greatest problem is not that our lives don’t matter—it’s that they do, but our significance is hidden from us from the great deceiver of our times. Still God can cut through that deception and lead us into right thinking, right beliefs, and right actions.

Guns. Laws. Security. Counselors. Training. Media reform. Political action. Social Change. Tools or idols? Instruments of wisdom serving the God who sees or idols that blind us and divide so that we continue to fall prey to the same trap over and over.

Seek Him first. Sounds like an antiquated cliché along the lines of thoughts and prayers. It becomes that when we don’t do it.

You and I have access to the highest power. Are we living and moving toward that access or looking to the hills for answers? Their blood cries out. Will we listen?

**Next week, my website will be down for some time for necessary maintenance. There may be no post then but feel free to connect with me through email (lorisroel@gmail.com) or over social media. Thank you for your understanding and patience!

Where we look for answers in the aftermath of tragedy matters. https://t.co/KpQ2qYMLHG #UvaldeMassacre #amwriting

— Lori Roeleveld (@lorisroeleveld) June 15, 2022