There were 28 people killed when a young man entered a Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, CT Friday, December 14th, 2012. I'm sure you have spent minutes, maybe hours, looking at pictures on Facebook, listening to the news regarding this tragedy, or spent it discussing it with someone you know. I can't begin to imagine what the people of that town are experiencing right now: pain, mourning, even hatred- and yet they are also meeting together in churches to pray, showing love to one another as victims of lost loved ones, and supporting one another through community. As I saw on Facebook, many of my friends and family hugged their little ones just a little bit longer that Friday when their children came home from school, or as they kissed them goodnight. I think everyone in this country is affected at some level emotionally from what happened in Newtown- something most people will remember and something everyone hopes will never happen again.
This is Victoria Soto. She was 27 and she is being honored for telling the gunman when he entered her classroom that her students were in the gym, when really she had hid them in the classroom closets. What an amazing thing. In the moment of sheer terror, hands shaking, heart pounding so loud you can't hear yourself talk, kids panicking, gun shots in the hallway- Victoria slowed down her mind to think clearly, clearly enough to save her students lives, which could have added to the death toll Friday morning. But instead, selflessly and heroically her life alone was taken, that all her students might live.
I do not in any way want to diminish the amazing and excellent act this woman did to save her students, or be insensitive to the hurt and pain some are experiencing, but I do want to use it as an illustration, to amplify Jesus as the Perfect Hero.
Victoria Soto did the best thing she knew how. She saved her 1st grade students from a man who was obviously dangerous, and ready to kill. He was evil- in the eyes of man and in the eyes of God. What if, after Victoria hid the kids in the closet and after the gunman entered the room, a 6-year old boy opened the closet door and said, "Um, teacher, I can save myself." ? What would have happened? We all can say he would have been ruthlessly gunned down, and perhaps would have revealed that there were more children hiding in the closet. It is obvious to adults that a 6-year old boy could not save himself from an armed, mentally unstable, ready-to-murder, 20 year old.
Jesus did the perfect thing. He went to the cross to save His children from eternal death that is inevitable to all who do not accept His death, forgiveness and love. Jesus was perfect in the eyes of God. Many people- too many people, are like the 6-year old boy in my fictitious illustration. Jesus is the only protection from our death, yet we say to Him, "Um, Jesus, I can save myself." It crushes my spirit to think of all the human beings in this world that are acting like the little boy! Friends, strangers, we are helpless in this fallen world! We can't save ourselves! Our eternal death is inevitable without Jesus. He is the only one who can save us, and you can't save yourself! It's doesn't work that way!
In this illustration, Jesus and Victoria are alike- selflessly and heroically dying so that others might live. Victoria's act of heroism allowed her students to live- but only on this earth. Eventually this life as we know it will end. Jesus is unlike Victoria in that He saves so that others may have eternal life. He wants to save you- He already selflessly and heroically sacrificed His life so that you might have life. He just wants you to trust that He is who He is and He will save you from death, if you choose to believe. The little boy in my illustration didn't believe. In our adult minds, we understand that there would be no possibility for a 6-year old to save himself from an armed and evil man. But what went on in his mind? Maybe he had just watched his favorite cartoon, or read his favorite book that had a hero save the day. Maybe he thought he could be that hero. Maybe he wrestles with his dad and thought he could take a guy down who was younger than his father. A 6-year old mind is innocent, but it is also naive. God is almighty. He knows there is no possibility for us to save ourselves. But what goes on in our minds? Many of us are naive. Unfortunately the naiveness of the 1st graders mind, in my illustration, would have killed him. Don't let it bring you to your eternal death.
I do not in any way want to diminish the amazing and excellent act this woman did to save her students, or be insensitive to the hurt and pain some are experiencing, but I do want to use it as an illustration, to amplify Jesus as the Perfect Hero.
Victoria Soto did the best thing she knew how. She saved her 1st grade students from a man who was obviously dangerous, and ready to kill. He was evil- in the eyes of man and in the eyes of God. What if, after Victoria hid the kids in the closet and after the gunman entered the room, a 6-year old boy opened the closet door and said, "Um, teacher, I can save myself." ? What would have happened? We all can say he would have been ruthlessly gunned down, and perhaps would have revealed that there were more children hiding in the closet. It is obvious to adults that a 6-year old boy could not save himself from an armed, mentally unstable, ready-to-murder, 20 year old.
Jesus did the perfect thing. He went to the cross to save His children from eternal death that is inevitable to all who do not accept His death, forgiveness and love. Jesus was perfect in the eyes of God. Many people- too many people, are like the 6-year old boy in my fictitious illustration. Jesus is the only protection from our death, yet we say to Him, "Um, Jesus, I can save myself." It crushes my spirit to think of all the human beings in this world that are acting like the little boy! Friends, strangers, we are helpless in this fallen world! We can't save ourselves! Our eternal death is inevitable without Jesus. He is the only one who can save us, and you can't save yourself! It's doesn't work that way!
In this illustration, Jesus and Victoria are alike- selflessly and heroically dying so that others might live. Victoria's act of heroism allowed her students to live- but only on this earth. Eventually this life as we know it will end. Jesus is unlike Victoria in that He saves so that others may have eternal life. He wants to save you- He already selflessly and heroically sacrificed His life so that you might have life. He just wants you to trust that He is who He is and He will save you from death, if you choose to believe. The little boy in my illustration didn't believe. In our adult minds, we understand that there would be no possibility for a 6-year old to save himself from an armed and evil man. But what went on in his mind? Maybe he had just watched his favorite cartoon, or read his favorite book that had a hero save the day. Maybe he thought he could be that hero. Maybe he wrestles with his dad and thought he could take a guy down who was younger than his father. A 6-year old mind is innocent, but it is also naive. God is almighty. He knows there is no possibility for us to save ourselves. But what goes on in our minds? Many of us are naive. Unfortunately the naiveness of the 1st graders mind, in my illustration, would have killed him. Don't let it bring you to your eternal death.
Jesus, Almighty God, Savior of the world- I pray for the families of the victims of Newtown, Connecticut. I pray for strength, restoration but most importantly, I ask that you bring these families to yourself that you might divinely heal their broken hearts. I pray that all who read this article would be moved by your Spirit and I beg of you that if any think they don't need you, if any think they can save themselves, I pray Jesus that their eyes would be opened. I pray that you would call out their name, that they might receive you as their Ultimate Hero. Thank you Jesus that in You all things hold together. Amen.
I hope this illustration was received well and with understanding that in no way do I mean to disrespect the victims or their loved ones by using this tragedy in my illustration to present the gospel.
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