Disarming Evil

“It is rare indeed for anyone to die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God proves His love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:7-8

Last weekend a man walked into a Waffle House in Nashville, Tennessee and opened fire on the customers and workers. I watched an interview of the hero who risked his life to apprehend the shooter while he was reloading. This young man had a daughter at home, and regardless of the sacrifice he was willing to lay down the circumstances of his own life to save both strangers and friends with whom he worked at the Waffle House. When described as a hero, he dismissed the title and said he just wanted to minimize the suffering for families. He not only stopped additional suffering by disarming the man, but he started a Go Fund Me page for the families of those who were killed and those injured. What a remarkable young man and what an incredible story. After watching this interview and understanding the circumstances this passage came to mind.

It helps paint a beautiful picture of what Christ did for all of us. He threw His body in front of the shooter…Satan…to save you and to save me. He minimized the suffering by disarming sin, so believers could live in eternity and be reunited with their loved ones. But the most incredible part is what Christ did as it relates to our hero in Nashville. Christ not only took the bullet for strangers and His friends, but He laid down His life also for the shooter. It would be like our hero risking his life for those innocent people in the Waffle House and then taking the bullet for the shooter as the police shot at him.

Rare indeed but that is the commandment we are all given…to love one another, laying down our life for others. I doubt many of us will find ourselves in situations like Nashville, but we can lay down our lives in other ways. We can show grace where grace isn’t deserved. We can forgive when there has been no apology. We can give a few dollars when our bank account is low. We can serve others who are less fortunate. We can lay down our own entitlements and judgment.

All we must do is lift our eyes off our own interests, look around and see the millions of places in which we can make small differences in the lives of hurting people. After all, it is the least we can do for the most sacrificial act that was ever done on our behalf…the very least.