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August 13, 2012
Response to the Sikh Temple Shooting
All are made in the image of God, even those we disagree with.
A chill went up my spine when I got home from church on Sunday and heard about the shooting at the Sikh temple in Oak Creek, Wisconsin, just a few miles from where I live. I was stunned because the shooting was taking place at the very time I was preaching at Elmbrook Church on Psalm 46:9: "He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth. He breaks the bow and shatters the spear; he burns the shields with fire."
I had said in the message: imagine if today the suicide bomber’s detonation device shorted out, all tanks and artillery stopped working, all AK-47's in the world (75 million of them!) suddenly jammed. All M-16's and M-4's turned to dust. In the light of future judgment when God brings all violence to an end, how can we not commit ourselves to being peacemakers in whatever ways we can?
At times like this we ponder (or at least, we should) what Scripture says about violence. Much, of course.
But today I find myself going back to a foundational truth in Genesis 9:6: "Whoever sheds human blood, by humans shall their blood be shed; for in the image of God has God made mankind."
This is basic, essential, core. We instinctually know senseless murder is wrong, but besides our instincts, there is a real reason: if we violate the image of God we are violating God. Human identity is centered on being made in the image of God. Human dignity is an unalterable truth because we are made in the image of God. Reverence for God compels us to respect our fellow human beings. Reverence and respect. Those two principles keep us on track in life.
And respect for people because they are made in the image of God not only makes murder wrong, but hatred of every kind. That's why Jesus said "You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, 'You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.' But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment" (Matthew 5:21).
As prayers are said around the world in response to the shooting, may God compel us to have reverence for God and respect for those made in his image.
Comments
interesting read
Posted By: Sonlife | August 14, 2012 9:51 AM
Thank you for your thoughtful article
As I study nursing (I am a guy by the way) at the moment I have a Sikh friend. He now also sees that Jesus is truely God as a man. I do not tell him to denouce his own beliefs nor ask him to 'become a Christian'. I enjoy this man's company and see that he has a hear that cares. He drives a cab to help fund his nursing studies and God uses this man to help and counsel many. In amazing ways to be honest.
Jesus connects with him in His own way without my interference (too much anyway) and the man lovingly comes to belief in Christ through God interacting with him. I am off to India next on mission and have been blessed to know my Sikh friend.
Jesus finds real faith in the most surprising places, such as in Centurians or Syrians or Samaritians. He found the least faith in that which was supposed to be his own. I am sure there is a startling deeper message there.
God Bless
Editor
http://www.thechristiannetwork.com
Posted By: Jack Jones | August 16, 2012 8:04 AM
Senseless violence is not an understandable thing. Like 911 or the Nazi concentration camps, we are shocked when we first hear of such things and we are genuinely saddened by the hurt they bring to, not just the immediate victims, but to the world at large. And maybe, just maybe, we are a little ashamed to be human or, at least, are aware of the fact that we fall short of the glory of God.
It was not just the image of God that was belittled in the victims themselves, but also in the shooter. In one fell swoop the shooter tarnished that image in both himself and the victims. Maybe the silver lining in all of this is that such acts cause us to pause and think of the fragility of life and that we are ultimately dependent on something or Someone greater than us.
The tougher task for myself, as a Christian, is to think of the shooter in any kind of positive way. Media and friends have offered a lot of advice as to motive. “He was nuts,” or “It was a hateful bigoted anti-religious act,” or “He was a racist, Nazi, kook, no more and no less,” have been common fare. But in the end, was not the shooter too created in the image of God?
My heart is broken and my prayers go out to the friends and family of the Sikh priests and worshippers and to the responding officer who was brutally butchered in this sinful act. Yet this time I’m going to take to time to especially pray, sincerely and earnestly, for the family and friends of Mr. Page. Because I believe that the Sikh priests would’ve prayed for them and because, in the end, wasn’t Mr. Page a victim of these brutal act as well?
Posted By: Bo Waldrop | August 17, 2012 12:37 PM
Christians should see this from a spiritual rather than a carnal perspective: is our struggle NOT against flesh and blood but against spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realm and this dark world? It is a human tragedy on many levels, as other commenters have pointed out, when the demonic realm succeeds in these battles by killing, stealing and destroying as they are purposed to do.
Posted By: Don Ibbitson | August 29, 2012 2:17 PM
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