I have a feeling that July 13th, 2024 will be one of those days, years from now, that you’ll recall where you were when you found out that former president Trump was shot.
I was in my kitchen and my daughter texted me. Where were you when you found out?
In the hours that have passed, I’ve been overly curious about so many details related to the event.
I was in my kitchen and my daughter texted me. Where were you when you found out?
In the hours that have passed, I’ve been overly curious about so many details related to the event.
- How could this have happened?
- Why would someone do something like this?
- How serious are Trump’s injuries?
Unfortunately, I also turned to Twitter (ok it’s really X, I get it) for updates. That delivered memes, cruel jokes and cursing beyond what I had appetite for.
When tragedy strikes, we often look outward for answers. We long for just one more scrap of information. We do this because we desire to have knowledge, thinking that one more bit of intel will bring peace and order to our sense of unsettling.
It won’t.
Deep down, we know that one more reporter’s account of what happened won’t actually help. Neither will a close up photo of the shooter or an interview with a person who was there when it happened.
While it might sound trite, this is not the time for more information. Rather, it’s the perfect time to put down the phone and pray. This is the exact moment when we are reminded to live The Quiet Life. We don’t need more noise, we need more prayer. We don’t need more information, we need more peacefulness. We don’t need more memes, we need more repentance for the violent society we have created.
When you’re tempted to get the latest political update, pause, put down the phone and pray. Pray for the candidate you dislike most. Mention him by name. Pray for those who have put their trust in politics instead of God. Pray for your neighbors by name. Pray for your family members who feel lost.
Pray.