Spearsville School is a small school that has grades 1-12 under one roof in rural north Louisiana. On March 27 there was a special school assembly for grades 6-12 to discuss a stabbing death in which a Spearsville student was accused. A high school teacher would have normally supervised the 5th grade class of about 15 students during the time of the assembly. However, the teacher went to the assembly and through an oversight no other teacher came to supervise the class.
During the time in question allegedly four students – two 11-year old girls, a 12-year old boy and a 13-year old boy began having sex in the classroom in view of the other students. When the administration later discovered what happened the sheriff was brought in to investigate. The children were arrested on charges of obscenity, a felony.
According to the Associated Press it is unclear at this time what a juvenile would face in penalties. An adult conviction on obscenity in the presence of someone under 17 carries a $10,000 fine and 2-5 years in prison.
My first reflection on this story is those children “don’t know what they’re doing.” They have been exposed to movies or music or people that hold the wrong message about sexuality and love. Now their innocence has been destroyed. They’ve scarred their hearts and brought difficult challenges to their future marriages.
Please don’t tell me that I’m overreacting and that these children will get over it. I’ve had too many counseling sessions with men and women who have had young sexual encounters and then as married adults with children they begin to freshly deal with what happened.
But here’s my main point – when Jesus was hanging upon a cross for crimes and sins that He didn’t commit, He prayed for the forgiveness of those who rejected Him, ridiculed Him, spit upon Him and beat Him. With nails in His hands and feet He offered forgiveness to the man standing at the foot of the cross that had swung the hammer that drove the nails.
And, His assessment was, “they don’t know what they’re doing.”
Have you relegated to irrelevance Christ, the Church, and the practice of Christianity? I humbly contend that you don’t know what you’re doing? Do you realize the gravity of treating God with disrespect, dishonor, or disdain? Can one dare to say that they don’t have time for the Creator and Ruler of the universe? What will God make of the rudeness of those who perpetually procrastinate prioritizing the King of kings and Lord of lords?
During the time in question allegedly four students – two 11-year old girls, a 12-year old boy and a 13-year old boy began having sex in the classroom in view of the other students. When the administration later discovered what happened the sheriff was brought in to investigate. The children were arrested on charges of obscenity, a felony.
According to the Associated Press it is unclear at this time what a juvenile would face in penalties. An adult conviction on obscenity in the presence of someone under 17 carries a $10,000 fine and 2-5 years in prison.
My first reflection on this story is those children “don’t know what they’re doing.” They have been exposed to movies or music or people that hold the wrong message about sexuality and love. Now their innocence has been destroyed. They’ve scarred their hearts and brought difficult challenges to their future marriages.
Please don’t tell me that I’m overreacting and that these children will get over it. I’ve had too many counseling sessions with men and women who have had young sexual encounters and then as married adults with children they begin to freshly deal with what happened.
But here’s my main point – when Jesus was hanging upon a cross for crimes and sins that He didn’t commit, He prayed for the forgiveness of those who rejected Him, ridiculed Him, spit upon Him and beat Him. With nails in His hands and feet He offered forgiveness to the man standing at the foot of the cross that had swung the hammer that drove the nails.
And, His assessment was, “they don’t know what they’re doing.”
Have you relegated to irrelevance Christ, the Church, and the practice of Christianity? I humbly contend that you don’t know what you’re doing? Do you realize the gravity of treating God with disrespect, dishonor, or disdain? Can one dare to say that they don’t have time for the Creator and Ruler of the universe? What will God make of the rudeness of those who perpetually procrastinate prioritizing the King of kings and Lord of lords?
A word to the wise is sufficient. If God is anything but supremely important to you, then use the approach of Easter as an occasion to turn your heart toward Christ.
2 comments:
This post really bothered me. I don't know how you can compare circumstances.
Dear Anonymous Friend:
Thanks for sharing your reflection.
The story of the children was upsetting to me. Their actions have and will have far reaching impact and outcomes. I grieve for them and their parents.
There are so many things that I wouldn't do nor would you if we fully grasped the impact and outcomes.
My blog is about reflections. One thing makes me think about something else. When thinking about how much all of us do without really knowing the gravity of what we're doing I immediately thought of the cross of Christ.
Granted, it's Holy Week and I already have the cross on my mind.
My hope was that this post might cause one who has taken lightly the Person of Christ, without knowing what a serious thing that is, to turn around and be fully engaged and connected with Christ.
Blessings,
Scott
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