I find it difficult to address the racial terrorism that occurred in Charleston this week, so instead of focusing on the young man who committed the crime or the martyrs’ Earthly bodies that were shed, I want to focus on something the South Carolina governor said. To paraphrase, if we can’t feel safe in our churches, where can we feel safe? Respectfully, church is the last place I should feel safe, and here’s why: Christians are targets, period.

Those of us who are followers of Christ shouldn’t be comfortable because we know…or at least we SHOULD know…that we have a giant target on our chest. Satan isn’t gone; looking at Charleston, it’s clear it is still insidiously active.  The Pope recently said in a video message (again, paraphrasing) that Satan wants the ruin of all souls, but especially those who call themselves followers of Christ. We have spiritual targets on our chests, targets that Satan points out to the wicked and the weak.  Charleston is just a physical symptom of a spiritual disease. We, the Body of Christ, have the medicine for this illness at the tips of our fingers.  How many times have we been told to pray?  More importantly. How many times have we done it? 

Others will argue for greater gun control or checks on mental health or stricter rules on this or on that, but I will stand up and beg for more prayer…starting with me. I’m not the most prayerful person; I have my ups and downs like everyone else. One of the keys to spiritual defense (so I have read) is having a proper focus on right things. Praying for the bad to go away isn’t nearly as effective as praying for the good to sustain, so I will do my best to pray this week for the uplifting of those who have been affected and those who are suffering over this act of violence.  As Christians, let us also remember to pray not only for the families of the victims or those of the shooter, but also for the soul of the shooter himself. As one of God’s creations, we should pray for God to have pity on his soul and bring him home through conversion.

The attack in Charleston was a statement on race delivered at the point of a gun. Now it is time for Christians to rise and give our response at the joining of folded palms. May God bless and keep us, every one.