And as the third straight week of deplorable national headlines comes to a close, Henrico County Public Schools is gripped by a rumor that threatens to extend the streak. My 17 year-old brother-in-law came home Tuesday; and after sharing some unrelated disappointing news informed me that a he heard some were going to "shoot up" Highland Springs and Varina High Schools on the last day. Needless to say "Big Mon", the hardest 12th grader on the East Coast, begged to stay home on Friday. Yesterday, a friend of mine expressed she heard the rumor as well. And dozens of 'more-than-a-conqueror' parents in the county have erred to the caution side and kept their children home today. Don't you dare mention the word scared.
But if they were, who could blame them? It's one thing to hear of parents sending their children to school; and hours later being horrified that that building was laced with bullets and bodies. But it's an entirely different issue to put your kids on the bus when the rumor drops that a similar situation could happen at that school. The natural reaction is clearly to keep the babies at home, for no parent is [perceived to be] equipped with losing a child in any fashion. Even so, some parents chose to shoot first.
In order to avoid joining the American Pop bandwagon - announcing they're praying for the killed and their families, lighting candles, tweeting, writing names on their shoes, and any other action that brings attention to themselves instead of the issue - they decided to pray first; before anything jumps off. They've affirmed the Lords' promise that not a single assault the devil has will harm their children, because they've submit to God beforehand (Isaiah 54:17). These parents and guardians prayed over their children as soon as they woke up, they've spoken peace over the school, and declared the Devine protection that is available to them (Psalm 23:4). And they didn't just do this as a result of the news report or the rumor; they've been demonstrating their belief in God for years, mention of danger or not.
It's hard to stand on His Word when your kids' life is threatened, ain't it? So it must be even more tough to stand on His Word after a tragedy. But it appears many do this - call on God after the fact. This issue couldn't be more serious, as the Spirit-filled are on the sidelines of the world game - watching hell run rampant while we possess the unbreakable defense. Shouldn't we be the ones claiming victory instead of hoping nothing happens on our couch? This, however, is the difference between walking with God and checking with Him every so often. Our relationship with the Lord cannot be limited to a worship service, a personal circumstance, or a Facebook post. It must be a lifestyle powerful enough to positively affect our families and their surroundings (Matthew 5:14). In this way we prevent the terrible, instead of mourning over it.
Declare peace before the war, not after...
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