Reflections on Sutherland Springs, TX.

Sutherland Springs: Should Have Been A Typical Sunday.

A man walks into a Church. Heeding the Apostle Paul’s call to assemble together. Seeking fellowship, seeking to draw closer to his creator.  It’s a typical Sunday in Sutherland Springs, Tx.  Or it should have been.

Another man walks into a Church. Driven by outrage. Heeding the call of the voices in his head reminding him of how life did not turn out the way it should have. And now some are going to pay. Pay for his rejection, pay for his unfulfilled ambition, pay for the unfairness of it all.

On Sunday, November 5^th, a man who should have been under the supervision and care of mental health professionals killed 26 people attending Church in Sutherland Springs, TX.

Devin P. Kelly did not win life’s lottery beyond being among the 5% of the World who get to live in the United States, or among the 15% who get to live in the West. He certainly did not make the most of his gifts, and made enough bad decisions to find himself near the bottom rung of society. As is often the case with the thwarted and embittered, he found it easier to blame others.

Thanks to bureaucratic failures within the government apparatus, he found it easy to act. Thanks to the actions of courageous (and armed) private citizens, he was stopped and chased down. Kelly’s singular mitigation is that he had the good grace to save the tax-payers the expense of a trial.

Left Or Right, Doesn’t Matter.

Kelly’s actions don’t fit neatly into any narrative, Left, Right or Center. The current controls on the purchase of firearms should have prevented him from obtaining any. Should have. The lack of communication between the Air Force and other Federal Authorities was appalling. Calls for new laws, and new means for enforcement are predictable and also understandable.

On the other hand, it’s easy to point out that if just one member of the congregation were armed, this would likely have had a far different outcome.

No one seems to be too anxious to discuss the Spiritual issue here. Devin Kelly was a man who had clearly placed himself far from God. Proud, entitled, he walked into the First Baptist Church unable to hear the still small voice of God over the roar of his own self-righteousness.

If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. – 2 Chronicles 7:14.

We’ll need to settle this soon else the Almighty will settle it for us.

Selah.

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