When Shots Are Fired

Every day someone asks me, as a pastor, what is my perspective about the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump? The state of our nation and the contentiousness of our politics is disturbing, and when violence like this is part of the mix it becomes a distraction for many in our body.

First, while I hate what has happened and the ripples this act has caused, I’m not surprised. The emotions, rhetoric on both sides, fear and desire for vindication have reached a fever pitch. Attempting to solve a problem through assassination just complicates it further and is abhorrent. But man has attempted to solve problems this way since Cain killed Abel and the Pharisees (the religious leaders of Jesus’ nation and heritage) delivered Jesus to a foreign, occupying governor to be put to death. Even Saul silenced his opposition, Stephen, for believing a contrary message we call the gospel (Acts 7). Violence only complicates situations.

Second, my bigger concern is the intensity of the responses of God’s people to this event. I have seen fear, anger, anxiety, desires for revenge, finger-pointing and blame as well as some of the most outrageous conspiracy theories I’ve ever heard voiced by believers in response to this event.

And at some level, I get it. I understand that we feel like the country is deteriorating, has started a slide down that long, slippery slope towards becoming something we don’t want it to become. And I understand the temptation to place our hope on a candidate, believing he or she will be the force that stops the slide, returns our morality and gives us peace and prosperity as a nation.

But I have to ask myself, and all of you, is the intensity of these responses because we have placed our hope for change and for a more secure country on a person, and the attempted assassination threatens the fulfillment of that hope?  The world we live in, and its nations and governments are raised up and taken down by God, and if God is in control, then that has to be the object of my hope and confidence. We have a king who is coming back, and He is our only king.

My fear is that the intensity of our responses is because in the shooting we saw our hope threatened and felt a sense of despair should President Trump go down. And while an assassination attempt is worthy of our grief and anger at the injustice and violence, it cannot represent the threatened death of our hope. If it does, then our hope is sadly misplaced.

Followers of Christ are called to be salt and light, to love their enemies, to love their neighbors as themselves and to be the voice of compassion and care in the interest of God’s justice and righteousness. We have been called to a hope that is eternal and not dependent on elected officials. We have been promised an abundant life rich in forgiveness and characterized by the peace of Christ occupying our hearts (Phil. 4:6-8).

The world is in a tough place, but God is still in control. People are angry and fearful, but our eternity is sure and our identity in Christ is protected (Ephesians 1). As followers of Jesus, we are called to rise above, to live beyond the fray, to be the voice of compassion, understanding, and to point the way to truth and hope that really matters.

We cannot do that if our voices echo the fear and anger of this world. Our anger must be at all injustice and our desires for right and fair treatment for all people. Peace, love, charity, goodness, kindness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control? Let it start with us. May we temper our responses to reflect the power and grace of an eternal God. May we flavor our responses with the seasoning of compassion, and may we bring light, the Light of the World, Jesus, to a world darkened by anger, division and despair. Let the difference start with us. Be kind. Be fair. Don’t let these events provoke you to fear, doubt or anger. Be the men and women Jesus would be in your shoes.

Romans 5:1-5 (NET) Therefore, since we have been declared righteous by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom we have also obtained access into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in the hope of God’s glory. 3 Not only this, but we also rejoice in sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance, character, and character, hope. 5 And hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

Romans 8:18-21; 24-25; 31-32 18 For I consider that our present sufferings cannot even be compared to the coming glory that will be revealed to us. 19 For the creation eagerly waits for the revelation of the sons of God. 20 For the creation was subjected to futility—not willingly but because of God who subjected it—in hope 21 that the creation itself will also be set free from the bondage of decay into the glorious freedom of God’s children.

24 For in hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope, because who hopes for what he sees? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with endurance.

31 What then shall we say about these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 Indeed, he who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, freely give us all things?