Jesus, Come Soon: A First Thought That Must Not Be Our Last

It feels like overnight, social media has exploded. I can't open my phone without seeing posts about Donald Trump, JD Vance, Charlie Kirk, school shootings, protests, and... somehow, Taylor Frankie Paul as the new Bachelorette (bless).

My entire feed is political. I'm not even looking for it, but it is. And, honestly, it's hard not to feel sick to my stomach.

If you're reading this blog, then you probably already know: Yesterday, Charlie Kirk, a conservative activist and ally of Donald Trump, was assassinated in front of a crowd of people at Utah Valley University. His wife and two young children were present, as were hundreds of young college students.

And yesterday... three teenagers were critically wounded in a school shooting at Evergreen High School near Denver, Colorado. The shooter (one of the wounded) died not too long after.

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An assassination and a school shooting. This will never be normal, and my heart breaks. But there is more to these stories than heartbreak.

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Charlie Kirk was known for his strong, right-winged, MAGA ideology as well as his quick-witted debate—though, if you ask me, "debate" is the wrong word. To me, Charlie was a debater, but he was also a bully. In the clips that I've seen of Charlie debating young students at their own colleges, I've watched him nitpick at word choices, invalidate real people's experiences, and say things like, "I can't stand the word empathy."

"Submit to your husband, Taylor [Swift]. You’re not in charge."

"The American Democrat party hates this country. They wanna see it collapse. They love it when America becomes less white."

"A fraternity guy and a sorority girl at [the] age [of] 19 hooking up, both five drinks in at 2 a.m., and all of a sudden, like, she removes consent. Yeah, like, that's a murky, middle gray area."

"Prowling Blacks go around for fun to go target white people, that’s a fact. It’s happening more and more."

"America was at its peak when we halted immigration for 40 years and we dropped our foreign-born percentage to its lowest level ever. We should be unafraid to do that."

"I think it's worth it to have a cost of, unfortunately, some gun deaths every single year so that we can have the Second Amendment to protect our other God given rights."

Gosh.

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I found Charlie's language divisive, damaging, and not from the heart of Jesus. I can only hope that we do not let him become a martyr.

And yet... at the heart of Charlie was also, inevitably, the heart of God. At the heart of all people is the heart and image of God. The same God who forgives me forgives Charlie. The same Jesus who loves me perfectly loves Charlie perfectly also.

My heart breaks for Charlie's family. I cannot imagine the trauma. The tears. The rage. The "Why, God?" And unlike he suggested, his death was not worth it. It was avoidable. Just like the school shooting that same day. And the shootings before. And the shootings that will come after.

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Guns do not make this country safer. For anyone—Democrats, Republicans, children, adults. And as I sit in my college dorm at a campus that was on lockdown for an active shooter threat just a week ago, I am, again, reminded of the fear that guns bring. I am afraid.

I'm afraid of what Charlie's murder will mean for people who do not think like Charlie. I'm afraid of how divided our country is. But I'm also caught up on the posts that say, "Jesus, come back soon."

Jesus, come back soon.

It's the most common post I've seen from Christians in response to Charlie's death. And I get it. Wouldn't it be nice for a higher power to come down, scoop us all up, and take us away from the hurt? I've prayed it too.

But that's never been the promise of God or the call from Jesus—that we'll all be delivered when the world finally goes to crap.

Nearly every single aspect of Jesus's ministry was earthly. His work was for the here and now. He built relationships, challenged Empire, worked against leading ideologies, befriended the outcasts, and resisted religious officials who were motivated by rules and power. Jesus made Earth as it was in Heaven and calls us to do the same.

"Jesus, come back soon" is a fine thought. It's a fine prayer. But it must not be our last thought and our last response.

In light of Charlie's brutal assassination... In light of another school shooting... In remembrance of this September 11th day... We are called to do loving action right now.

In a world where violence seeps into every aspect of our lives, we are called to be the Jesus here—not just pray for his return. We are called to make the change now—not just hope for change in the future. We are called to make Earth as it is in Heaven, and I promise you this: There are no guns in Heaven. There is no senseless bullying, division, or hatred. There are no assassinations. There is no belief that deaths are a worthwhile consequence of the Second Amendment. There is no fear.

The news is heavy these days. Take care of yourself, Advent People. Pray the prayer. But then... take care of each other.

May we be the Jesus we pray for. Amen.