Today’s Scripture Reading (October 9,
2015): Numbers 28
Jeb Bush
took heat after the Oregon shooting for saying that “stuff happens.” The
remark, which was taken as an unrealistic support for American Gun rights,
seemed almost callous in the wake of the tragedy. Just to be fair, Bush insists
that he was misquoted. And the reality is that both Republicans and Democrats
agree that something has to be done to curb gun violence in the United States.
The problem is that they disagree with what it is that needs to be done. One
side seems to be saying that the ability to own a gun needs to be seriously
examined. Rules need to be established and back ground checks need to be made.
Gun ownership is not a right for everyone, just for the ones that the
government believes are worthy of the privilege. It is not that they are
looking for no guns, but they are looking for less guns – and guns in the hands
of right people. The other side seems to be arguing that more guns is the
answer. A shooter is going to think twice if he knows that the people he is
attacking are also carrying weapons and can fight back. And what amazes me is
that both sides seem to believe that the facts are on their side. President Obama,
immediately following the Oregon tragedy, stood in front of a camera and
declared that violent crime is down in States that have passed tough gun laws.
We know that gun laws work because they are working in the United States and in
the other nations in the civilized world – where things like the Oregon
University shooting are extremely rare events. But I know gun owners that
constantly tell me the exact reverse. In the United States, violent crime is
down in States where gun ownership is a protected right. As I listen to the
arguments, I know that someone is lying to me. I am just not sure who.
And then the
report comes out about the shooter’s mother. Apparently mom and son the Harper’s)
moved to Oregon because of their open carry laws (something they were not able
to do in their native California.) And mom bragged about her home arsenal. “And
when the mood strikes, and as long as we’re tossing around brand names, I sling
an AR, Tek-9 or AK over my shoulder, or holster a Glock 21 (not 22), or one of
my other handguns, like the Sig Sauer P226, and walk out the door,” Mom bragged
online. “I find the shotguns are a little too cumbersome to open carry.” I have to admit that this comment
does not fill me with confidence. In fact, Mom and son are two people that I
don’t want to be able to walk out of the house with their arsenal of guns ‘when
the mood strikes.’
What I think
we miss is that we all are broken. During the recent Republican debate the
question was asked of Carly Fiorina and some of the other participants about
whether they trusted Donald Trump with the nuclear codes. But the question is
misplaced. Personally I don’t trust anyone with those codes – including myself
- because we are broken. I have a very good friend who is a gun enthusiast. He
is dependable and I trust him with many things and in many situations, but not with
guns – because we are broken. Ninety-nine percent of the time everything is
going to be okay, but when the one percent hits, we have tragedies like the one
in Oregon. If there were no guns (and I recognize that no one is advocating
this scenario) how many Americans would still be alive? Instead of a headline
that reads “Ten dead and twenty injured in Oregon school attack” might it not
have been more like “One dead and three injured in University knife fight?” Still
a tragedy, yes. But one of a lower magnitude.
Every day
the priests were to make two sacrifices; one in the morning and one in the
evening. As the people were rising to meet the day, the priests made a
sacrifice. It was a recognition that in this moment a broken people were
getting ready to live life; to go to work, to meet with friends, to live and to
love. And in the evening the sacrifice was repeated as a broken people returned
home from their day. Each sacrifice emphasized how broken even the people of
God were. Israel consisted of a broken people that needed God every moment of
the day.
We can’t
miss that. We are broken. The caricature of the church as sanctified holy
rollers is an untrue one. We are broken. We live every moment of the day in
need of the grace of God. I know this to be true of me, and I suspect that it
is true of you. It is why we are often taught to rise with a prayer on our lips
asking for help and to go to bed with a prayer on our lips asking for
forgiveness. These are our sacrifices, and we will never live the life that God
has placed in front of us unless we are will to make them.
Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Numbers
29
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