Fear. Love. Enemy.

God is love. 

Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. 

This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus. 

There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, 

because fear has to do with punishment. 

The one who fears is not made perfect in love. 

1 John 4:16-18

Today, December 14, 2012, our nation is grieving a senseless tragedy of yet another school shooting. The details of this demonic act are still breaking. We will undoubtedly be hearing the stories from these families for days, weeks, and months ahead. Oh, how we need to pray.

I have a kaleidoscope of questions, emotions, and information going on in my head right now. 

I noticed a minute ago that I'm grinding my teeth. I feel a headache coming on. 

Tension. 

Anger. 

Outrage. 

Sympathy. 

Grief. 

Loss. 

Frustration.

Love. Yes, love. I want to go love on the mommas and daddies and grand mommas and granddaddies and sisters and brothers. I want to love on the teachers that sucked up their own panic in order to take care of the babies -yes, babies- in their care.

I'm thinking of the gunman. What about his family? Is he married? His child(ren)? What about his momma? Cousins?

You know where I'm not going? To the place of fear. Now, that's easy for me to say, because my girls are with me. I'm thankful that I can hear about this evil doer while my girls are with me. I don't know how I'd feel if my kids were at school. 

Still, let's don't go there. Let's don't pull our kids out of school and church and activities because we are fearful. Who's with me? 

You know what else? Let's place blame in the right place. 

Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Ephesians 6:11-12

 The enemy of this world is active. He thrives on our fear and pain and confusion. The gunman isn't even our enemy. The man who did this was just a vessel used by your enemy and mine. We are likely going to learn in the weeks to come that the killer was disturbed in some way. 

I'm calling it now:

He was disturbed by evil. 

We need to know our enemy. We need to know that Satan is our enemy and engage in battle accordingly.

We shouldn't rejoice in the knowledge that this gunman is likely in hell, either. This is another tragedy. Ezekiel 33:11 says that the Lord said, "I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked."

Hell is an unimaginable place. But, for grace, I'd be headed there, too. I deserve it as much as that man who killed people today.

This is a dark story. We are in a dark world. 

Let's don't fear it. Let's fight it.

Be light. 

Be love.