Every morning, I exit the Metro station at Union Station and walk around the building to my office. And every morning, I look to my right and see the 50 state flags and 3 American flags waving good morning. Yet on three different weeks in the past month, I have looked out toward the Capitol and seen all 53 flags lowered to half-staff because of murderous attacks.
June 12: Orlando. On Monday, June 13, the day after the shooting at the Pulse Nightclub, I walked to the Newseum, a museum that displays the front page of the newspaper from every state and several countries around the world. Forty-nine of the fifty state newspapers and all of the international papers were filled with pictures, stories, quotes, and facts about the terrible attack. It felt like the whole world was tuned into the United States? worst mass shooting in history. Debates over gun control reemerged for a week in Washington.
July 8: Dallas. Having grown up in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, the shooting of police officers was close to home. Walking into work that day and seeing the news repeat over and over the terrible story gave me a heavy heart for the victims and their families. Throughout the day, hearing just a mention of the word ?Dallas? was an indication of the conversation people were having. Debates continued, this time over the role of police and racism.
July 15: Nice. Friday morning after it happened, I was in the airport and watched on the TV in horror as deadlines flashed the deadly news. Innocent people just celebrating Bastille Day. How could this be happening again? When will this stop? How can people regard human life as so insignificant, so disposable?
Human lives matter.
Every time I see the flags lowered, I am reminded that we live in a broken, messed up world. The prominent visual reminds me to pray for the victims? families and friends. It reminds me to pray for our world. It reminds me that Jesus is the hope our world needs and longs for. He came to earth and died on the cross to give life to all people.
God, comfort our world. Bring peace and reconciliation. Reveal yourself to people across the globe. Let your love fill our hearts and transform us from the inside out.