Virginia Tech

A few friends have called asking if we have any former students at Virginia Tech. The answer is no, but there is a young man named Daniel from another area church who is a freshman there. I've not heard his status, but I pray he's okay. Daniel is a wonderful guy.

Why are we so quick to look for someone to blame when tragedy strikes? On the radio all day in Richmond I've heard people complaining about the response time from school and local authorities in Blacksburg. It's as though campus police are to show up everyday ready for a mass shooting to break out. I would not want to be where those men and women are right now and I certainly am not going to second-guess their efforts.

There's a sense of sadness around town today. I feel it too. Most people here have ties to VPI (Virginia Polytechnic Institute) in one way or another. At our church we have many alumni. In Virginia it's known for having high standards of education and ethics. It's sad that "the biggest massacre in U.S. history" will forever be associated with such a wonderful institution.

If we must blame someone, we can blame the gunman. If we want to make sense of it all, we can acknowledge that the world belongs to the Prince of Darkness. If we want comfort in it all, we can remember that we've been saved by the Prince of Peace. May those affected and saddened by today's events take comfort in His Peace.