The Sandy Hook Spark

The spark of the tragedy of Sandy Hook Elementary has started a fire in me.

There have been other shootings, several nasty ones here in Colorado for that matter.  But none of them have hit me to the core like what transpired in that Connecticut school.

Why has it hit me so hard?  Simple:  I have 3 boys in early elementary school and my wife teaches at that school.

What if…

That big “What If” has lead me to pose two very important questions to myself, and they are questions I believe every father and mother should ask themselves as well:

• Am I doing everything in my power to protect my wife and my sons?
• If not, what do I need to do?

This is not a national, gun-control debate question.  This is a personal, look at your face in the mirror question.  What is your answer?

Now we all have different situations.  Here’s my situation:

• I also work at the school with my wife.
• My town is very rural, and we are fifty miles away from a police office.

If something like that were to happen at our school…  (yes, I know it is statistically more likely for my kids to die in a shark attack off the coast of Australia… but I can’t just hope the stats play out right)

• How are the staff, teachers and students trained to respond… and am I okay with that plan?  Our school’s plan was re-thought after Sandy Hook, and I’m glad to say that it is now way better than “let’s stay in our rooms and  hope the bad guy runs out bullets.” Our superintendent was open to several conversations and included some of my input in the plan. Talk to your kids’ teachers and administration and learn what their plan is.  Are you okay with it?  Does it make sense?
• Do we have a way to see what’s happening and communicate real-time?  Although our school is small, we have several buildings that are pretty spread out.  We need video cameras installed and a way to communicate with the teachers real-time to get kids out safely based on where the bad guy is.
• Would I wait for law enforcement to show up before I do something?  Absolutely not.  Could I look another parent in the eye if my response was “Well I’m sorry for your loss, but we were waiting for the police to get here.”  Could I ever respect an adult that would say the same to me?
• What kind of active-shooter response training do I need to acquire to have a realistic chance of stopping that kind of threat?  There is training out there, but its pricey.    I think it will be money well spent.
• Am I prepared and willing to take the life of a person trying to harm the children and teachers of my school?  I’d better be.

Does this sound like stuff a pastor should be talking about?  It should be.

Another word for “pastor” is “shepherd.”

Shepherds guarded their sheep from wolves.  They didn’t try to win over the wolves.  They prepared to fight them.  Feel-good Christianity has glossed over the fact that God has used many of his people throughout history to guard and protect each other.

It is time for me to shepherd my church, my school, and my town.

What is it time for you to do?