(This column from Dr. Wes Beavis, a pastor and licensed clinical psychologist, will appear as his “Heal” column in the September/October 2022 print issue of Christian Standard. Because of its timeliness, we have decided to share it early with Christian Standard’s online readers.)
By Wes Beavis
“Why doesn’t God stop school shootings?” It’s a valid question. Many philosophers would add these follow-up statements: Either God is not a loving God or God is not all-powerful. (Surely a loving God would supernaturally intervene to protect the innocent lives of defenseless schoolchildren, they reason.) If a loving God does not intervene, then he obviously lacks the power to do so. Therefore, God must not be omnipotent. (It sounds logical.)
MAKING SENSE OF IT ALL
A tragic event like the unthinkable massacre of schoolchildren—as occurred two weeks ago in Uvalde, Texas—generates an understandable emotional response. Part of this response is to try and make sense of it all. To fix it so that it doesn’t happen again. The faith community often responds with the words “thoughts and prayers.” Secularists become annoyed and incensed at the offering of “thoughts and prayers.” They consider thoughts and prayers to be feel-good statements that give the impression of action but which really are “do-nothing” sentiments that keep the status quo in place.
Secularists believe that government action is the solution to stopping bad people from committing abominable cruelty. They believe that human nature is changed through legislation, not through prayer. They believe that if prayer worked, if God were real, then God would intervene. He would stop these heinous atrocities perpetrated by angry young men.
HOW GOD INTERVENES
However, God does intervene. He does stop angry young men. Just not in a way that overrides free will. I believe God intervenes and stops more troubled boys than we realize. I wholeheartedly believe this because I was one of them—an angry young man who lacked the ability to moderate his emotions and mental states.
As a 6-year-old, in a rage of jealousy, I slammed the business end of a garden rake into my brother’s head. He was rushed to the hospital where surgeons stitched his scalp back together. Some years later, fueled by insecurity and the desperate need for peer approval, I beat up my best friend at school. I picked on him because he was weaker than me. Two weeks prior to graduating from junior high, I got caught vandalizing a school bus. The school district did not press criminal charges but would not allow me to proceed to high school until I remediated the damage to school property.
That summer, bored and stupid, I started a fire that ravaged the Fort Creve Coeur Nature Preserve. The fire caused immense damage and cost to the community. That stunt conferred upon me a police record of juvenile delinquency. While grounded for the entire summer, I entertained myself by using stale bread to lure birds into my backyard. I would then shoot the defenseless birds with a BB gun. I had no remorse in killing these beautiful creatures. It made me feel powerful.
Was I a school shooter in the making? I don’t know. Let’s just say my behavioral trajectory would have been a concern to any adolescent psychologist. Perhaps if additional layers had been added to the mix—absentee alcoholic parents, endless hours of playing violent video games, social isolation, social media bullying—I could have become a significant threat to society. Who knows where I would have ended up, had God not intervened.
So, how did God intervene? In several ways. Over several years. Through several people.
HOW THE CHURCH HELPED ME
My Sunday school teacher witnessed me blow a gasket because things were not going my way and said to me, “Wesley, you have a mean streak and a bad temper. That makes God sad and Satan glad. I’m praying for you to learn self-control.”
Old Mr. Herring, a church elder, also noticed I was struggling. He took me under his wing and taught me how to fish.
Mr. Huebsch, a church member, gave me lessons on how to become a backyard corn farmer.
My youth pastor, Philip Wood, believed I had potential if I could just find a constructive outlet, so he offered to teach me guitar. One of the first songs he taught me was “Jesus Is the Answer.”
George Melton baptized me and inspired me to use music as a ministry.
John and Sarah Morgan, as a way of supporting my parents, became a second dad and mom to me. They were fun, down-to-earth Jesus followers and I felt liked and loved by their entire family.
I am also thankful I had parents who, despite the grief I constantly brought them, were patient and long-suffering. They never gave up on me despite the many sleepless nights I’m sure I caused them. They encouraged me to pursue a life of serving Christ. And I eventually got there!
These are just a few of the people who prayed for me and helped me find my way to redemption. I was influenced by people who were under the influence of Jesus. God used them to interrupt my troubling trajectory of antisocial and destructive behavior.
Today, as a Christian clinical psychologist, I am the opposite of destructive. Instead, I help people navigate their challenges and find peace amid life’s uncertainties. It took many years, but I radically changed from aggression to compassion. I was on a trajectory of being a threat to society, but God intervened. How? Through the thoughts and prayers of his saints.
In the quest to stop school shootings, is there a place for stronger regulations and procedures? I believe it is worth reflecting on and exploring what is helpful in reducing these tragedies. But let’s not forget that God uses the thoughts, prayers, and actions of dedicated Christ followers to change troubled young men into grace-filled, godly leaders.
Let’s double down on our efforts to reach kids with the life-changing message of Jesus Christ. For every young man who invites Jesus to be his Lord, there is one less young man on a dark trajectory toward destroying innocent lives.
“For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins” (Colossians 1:13-14).
Dr. Wes Beavis has served as a pastor in Restoration Movement churches in both the United States and Australia. He is also a licensed clinical psychologist who specializes in helping ministry leaders navigate the leadership journey. His latest book is Let’s Talk about Ministry Burnout: A Proven Research-based Approach to the Wellbeing of Pastors.
This was certainly a “Grand Slam” with truth and wisdom. With a wife who was a counselor during her working years, I know of many who were led from the brink through her and the Christlike efforts of others. Thank you Wes.
Such a great article! Thank you for sharing your story and personal experience with what church & God can do in one’s life.
Excellent article, Dr. Wes! How adult men in the church need to double the effort to make sure that boys and young men understand that God has created them in His Image – Imago Dei, and what that means. That God “knew them in the womb” and has created them for a purpose, with skills and abilities to serve as a Kingdom worker. Men that will teach practical things like how to use tools, change the oil, serve the widows in their community, live with character and morals . . . and speak Biblical truths to them.
We needed this reminder of what God and His people can do to encourage others to walk the right road. Thank you for sharing this part of your life with us. We will continue to have “thoughts & prayers” for others daily.