Disclaimer:

• This is intended for my fellow Christians who are struggling to process the events at more of a distance. I hope this serves to at least provoke some productive thought and perhaps conversation.
• This is not intended for immediate consumption by those who are deeply mourning Friday's events in Newton, CT (or a similar tragedy). While this could be helpful in the future, I am (as much as I can be) absolutely certain it would not be timely for those deep in the trenches of grief.
• This is not intended for those who are processing through these events and do not claim or desire to be Christ-followers.

Last Friday our nation watched as devastating news poured out of Newtown, CT. A young man entered Sandy Hook Elementary School and opened fire on innocent children who certainly couldn't have done anything to warrant such treatment. Adults who had committed themselves to teaching and helping these young ones were also victims of this attack, and deservedly will be remembered for their courage and attempts to protect the rest of the Sandy Hook children.

I am thankful that the nation is mourning this event. It is tragic. It is horrific. No one would want to be a participant in this event and I hope most, if not all, would not even wish it on their enemy. 

I am thankful for the voices calling others to silence. Encouraging the ministry of presence instead of lame, failing attempts at answers to all the "Why?" questions inherent in a situation such as this. I am thankful for the people encouraging those affected to continue asking every "Why?" question that they might have for God right now.

But honestly, I'm also sad. 
Of course I am saddened that 26 innocent people were killed in such an appalling way. Of course I am devastated that so many innocent children will not be able to reach their full potential over decades of life. Of course I mourn for those families who cannot create the memories they had dreamed of and for their children. Of course I mourn for the families and friends who have to figure out how to pick up the pieces of their shattered lives and figure out how to keep going.

But I'm saddened by something else. 
I have, by and large, heard no one mourn the 27th. 

This is understandable in that the 27th was not innocent, but was the perpetrator, the murderer. 
I get that. Let me be clear. In no way do I want to excuse or make light of his heinous actions on Friday. I am not suggesting that what he did was okay or that it should be overlooked, ignored, or justified. 

I do not expect all people to mourn the 27th. No, I expect them to continue to call him "gunman," "perpetrator," "evil," "monster," and whatever other derogatory names they choose. To mourn the 27th flies in the face of human thinking. 

But I do expect more of my fellow Christians, those who are trying to take on the mind of Christ.

You see, these names -- "gunman," "murderer," etc. -- all focus on one thing, one action. While they are true to his actions that day, if we aren't careful, we let those words serve as our sole identifier of him, and this is nothing other than dehumanizing to him. Then, in our minds, we trick ourselves into thinking he is essentially no longer a person - unworthy of respect or dignity...much less love or forgiveness.

But we as Christians are taught that there is no other way we should live -- we should be characterized by love and forgiveness. We should be treating each and every human being as a person not defined by what they do but by who they are. 

Now, perhaps you're thinking something like "but our actions come out of who we are!" And yes, that is true in many ways. But I have to ask...
If we truly believe God created all of us in God's image, each and every living human being bears the Imago Dei, then is that not reason enough to deem someone worthy of respect, dignity, love, and forgiveness no matter what their action? 

The Imago Dei is easily covered up within each of us. We bury it with each selfish, uncaring, sinful thought and action. Selfless, sacrificial, loving, gracious thoughts and actions seem to push or scrub away some of the filth that is so successful at hiding the Imago Dei within. But even if the Imago Dei is completely buried within a person, even if there is no outward sign that the Imago Dei is there, does that make it so? I would argue absolutely not. No matter what we do, we cannot rid ourselves of the Image of God that God's own hands instilled within us. In my own theological beliefs, that is part of being human, like it or not.

Perhaps you think we have the power to scrub away or gouge out the Imago Dei that God instilled within you. If so, then we can politely agree to disagree on this particular matter. I just can't imagine having that power as a human being. And personally, that goes against my beliefs about God's amazing grace, love, forgiveness, and continued pursuit of all people.

And if each human being is created in the Image of God, then I am none other than a fellow human being who bears the Image of the same God. And then, who am I to deem someone unworthy of forgiveness? Who am I to deem someone unworthy of mourning? I am not the one to judge. Christians should not be the ones to judge.

Instead, shouldn't we be the ones digging to find the Imago Dei within all others? Shouldn't we be the ones advocating for the inherent goodness, worth, and value within them especially when they have no voice for themselves?