Peace when asking "Why?"

Heinous. Vicious. Atrocious.

None of those adjectives could come close to describing the murder of 20 defenseless first-graders and six adults at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut.

Incomprehensible.

We simply can't fathom how someone could be so sick, so deranged to force his way into an elementary school, the home of bright eyes, toothless smiles and looks of wonder.

Why?

Just why?

How could anyone methodically aim a gun at such innocence and pull a trigger? Not just once, but, according to reports, multiple times.

For that matter, how could anyone purposely take the life of anyone, any age?

We are searching for answers but will find that the answers simply are not there. We can only assume that the young man who committed one of the most dastardly crimes in our nation's history was deranged. We can only explain that he suffered from mental illness and demons that few could understand.

What else can we do?

When the depths of evil became apparent Friday, it was as if someone had kicked us in the stomach. We asked ourselves, “What in the world has happened to common decency?” Or, “Has good left our world?”

I wanted to write Friday. I am glad I did not. I was angry. Angry at many things, but mostly angry because there are no explanations.

I am glad I waited. Less than nine hours after seeing the first report of the shooting pop up on my iPhone, I was privileged to attend the Gaither Christmas Homecoming concert at the Bank of Kentucky Arena on the campus of Northern Kentucky University.

Early in the evening, Bill Gaither, one of the greatest Christian song writers ever, joined singer Charlotte Ritchie on stage, then led a crowd of nearly 10,000 people in prayer for Newtown.

Then, we worshiped.

Yes, the people on the stage were gifted musicians and singers. Some have had success in fields other than gospel music. Yet, the program was one of worship and a message of hope.

How we need that hope today!

Immediately after the news of the shootings the debate about what to do got even stronger. On one hand, those who support stronger gun-control laws immediately called on those in power to act. Obviously, they point out, stronger gun-control would have prevented such a tragedy.

I believe those people really are well-meaning. Most of them truly believe the world would be safer with stronger regulations.

But they are incredibly naïve. That assumes that those who commit crimes are going to get guns legally, if they are still available on the market, or will not get them if guns are not available. The reality is that if someone is determined to commit a crime, he will find a way to get a weapon.

Gun control is just a band-aid.

On the other hand, I have seen many calls for armed law enforcement or allowing people with Concealed Carry Deadly Weapons permits to be at school all the time. The idea, of course, is if someone enters a school to commit a crime, there is at least a fighting chance to stop it quickly. This might have some teeth to it, but it is just a band-aid as well. Bigger perhaps, but still a band-aid.

What if the shooter takes out the officer first? And do we really want our schools to be armed camps?

Others have called for other measures, such as metal detectors, even more lockdowns and the like.

Just more band-aids.

I am not downplaying security measures in any way. Unfortunately, we live in a time that calls for utmost vigilance.

The problem, however, is much deeper than how we are going to protect ourselves from violence.

There is evil in the world. There has been ever since the Garden of Eden and will be until the end of the world. However, it sure seems like we are seeing much more of it today.

I believe the answer is found in Jesus Christ.

The question has been asked so many times why God has allowed so many unbelievable crimes to happen in recent years. My answer is that when we push God out of society, this is what happens. When we thumb our nose at Him, evil reigns.

Think about it.

We have allowed God to be taken out of schools. When I attended elementary school from 1964-1970, we openly talked about God. We prayed. Teachers read the Bible.

The problems we had? Cutting line, chewing gum or something of that sort.

And, looking back now, one of my favorite memories of childhood is that of my aunt, the principal of the school, taking a carload of her students to church on Sunday morning. She simply asked them to go.

Now, it seems like educators doing the same would be facing a lawsuit.

More than the schools, however, we have pushed God out of society. We have glorified sin and called it by many other names. We buy our kids video games that depict people taking out other people. We see box office success with gore and the fantasy of, again, taking someone's life.

And we wonder why?

We hurt with the people in Connecticut. Surely many of the parents have presents under their Christmas trees that will never be unwrapped. Santa Claus might by-pass some of those houses where the victims lived.

It's Christmas, a time of joy that has been stolen from many people.

Yet, coming up on Christmas, it is important to remember the one whose birth we celebrate is called the “Prince of Peace.”

It is a peace that can only be found in our hearts, for as long as there is evil in the world, there will be stories like Sandy Hook or Columbine or Virginia Tech or Heath.

Jesus said his kingdom is “not of this world” (John 18:36) meaning it dwells in his people. Hearts belonging to God have true peace that does not and cannot exist in a world where evil is rampant.

That kind of peace is not just a band-aid.

It is the real cure for what ails the world.

“Glory to God in the highest and on earth, peace, good will to men.”