November 30, 2021. Yet another date we must remember soberly. Yet another school shooting tragedy that crushed our hearts.
But this shooting hit a little closer to home for me—literally.
Oxford High School is only a little over 15 miles from my home of Lapeer, Michigan. Both my parents grew up in Oxford and graduated from Oxford High School as did most of their families. More of my family has roots in Oxford than anywhere else.
Oxford is a growing community, but it’s also tight-knit. Everyone knows the family that has run the pharmacy in town for years, and certain last names are common to hear among conversation. It’s not uncommon to overhear conversations among people in Oxford that go something like, “Harvey Jones married a Rodgers,” and “Bridgett Smith used to go out with a Johnson boy.”
If any town could seem innocent, it would be a town like Oxford. That such a despicable act could be carried out in a place like this, makes the story so much harder to hear.
But it’s reality now. The shooting happened. Four students are dead because of it. Three more are in the hospital being treated for wounds from it. And one suspect is being charged for terrorism and murder among other crimes after it.
So, how could this happen in a place like Oxford?
The broad answer is that all people are sinners. The people of Oxford were born just as sinful as the people of the most violent cities in the world. The book of Romans tells us,
None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one. . . . Their feet are swift to shed blood . . . and the way of peace they have not known. There is no fear of God before their eyes. (Romans 3:10-12, 15, 17-18, ESV)
The Oxford High School shooting happened because people are naturally evil, and without the mercy and grace of Jesus Christ, any of us would be capable of committing the same horrendous crimes.
There are other questions and answers to how this could happen in a place like Oxford. Some people will try to blame the school’s policies, others will blame guns and point to an ill-defined “gun violence public health crisis,” and still others will blame the parents of the alleged shooter. There may be some blame deserved for these others—only time will tell. But in the end, only one person stood behind the gun and pulled the trigger. The blame falls on him if and when he gets convicted.
The thoughts, intentions, and ultimate actions of the alleged shooter are not reserved for the evilest of people. They are possible among anyone not held by the grace of God. To protect our towns and schools from the tragedy that rocked Oxford, we must share the light of Christ with everyone who could be living in darkness.
As hard as this is to write, even Oxford isn’t immune to mass shootings, and neither is your small town. We have to accept that fact. Evil actions are not limited to certain places or people. Shootings are not reserved for cities like Chicago and Detroit. Darkness can find its way to any tranquil place.
Once we understand that, we can focus on stopping the darkness with light.
The stories of heroism that have come from this tragedy show how light is ever-present even in the darkest of circumstances. The self-sacrifice of Tate Myre could have saved the lives of countless students and teachers (seriously, stop reading this essay and go read the story of Myre). The quick response of law enforcement and apprehension of the shooter could have saved even more. And the actions of first responders and doctors should be commended as well.
It’s incredible to see how good people can be amidst pure evil. Oxford did what we all must do—it stopped darkness with light.
The shooting at Oxford High School could happen anywhere. I hope the response of Oxford’s people in the face of darkness could happen anywhere too.