When news broke last month about the shooting at Sandy Creek Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, many of us wondered if things would ever be the same. Never before had so many, so young been taken from their families in a school with security measures in place. In the wake of this tragedy Christians have struggled with the question, “How can a loving God allow such violence?” It’s a tough question. But maybe God is asking us an even tougher question: “How can we allow such violence?” This week in LinC we talk about violence in our culture and look for ways to respond to violence with love, kindness, and compassion. Key Scriptures: Genesis 4:1-16, 23-24; Matthew 5:38-48; 2 Corinthians 5:13-21. In November eighth-grader McKenna Pope launched a campaign urging Hasbro to make an Easy-Bake Oven that could be marketed to boys. Her younger brother had asked for the popular toy, but Pope couldn’t find an Easy-Bake with boy-friendly packaging and design. Her campaign paid off. Hasbro brought Pope and her family to its Rhode Island headquarters and unveiled an Easy-Bake prototype designed to appeal to boys. The story raises all sorts of interesting questions about boys and girls and their tastes and interests. Through the years the church has made its share of assumptions about gender roles, some of which have been hurtful. Next week we’ll look at what the gospel tells us about gender roles and discuss what it means to live with integrity as the people God calls us to be.
