My wife and I recently saw the movie I’m Not Ashamed, which is the story of Rachael Joy Scott, a student who made a huge impact for Christ, and was murdered during the Columbine High School shootings.
The Columbine massacre was a school shooting that occurred on April 20, 1999, at the Columbine High School in Columbine, Colorado. In addition to the shootings, the complex and highly planned attack involved a fire bomb to divert firefighters, propane tanks converted to bombs placed in the cafeteria, 99 explosive devices, and car bombs. The perpetrators, senior students Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, murdered 12 students and 1 teacher. They injured 21 additional people, and 3 more were injured while attempting to escape the school. The pair subsequently committed suicide.
Rachel Joy Scott was the first casualty. Instead of remembering her for this, she is remembered for her compassion, faith, and willingness to be used by God. Like all of us, Rachel had her ups and downs, her successes and failures. Ultimately she wanted to be used by God, whatever the cost, even if it meant giving up her life.
Rachael is an example to all of us. We should give everything we have to God, and be willing to do anything for him, even if it means giving up our life. Whether we want to admit it or not, everything we have is God’s anyway, and our lives are always in his hands.
As a parent, I highly suggest making your children watch this movie. It shows what God can do through one life who is willing to do his will. After watching this movie together, you can then discuss it with your children. What are their thoughts? Are they living a life for Christ, or for themselves? Do they look and act the same as unbelievers, or are they the light and salt that God is calling us to be? How can they start to more fully live the life that God wants for them? Rachael had some failures in living fully for God, but she continued and ended well. It is never too late for your children to decide to boldly live their faith.
Here are some verses to review with your children.
Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. (Romans 12:2)
Obviously, I’m not trying to win the approval of people, but of God. If pleasing people were my goal, I would not be Christ’s servant. (Galatians 1:10)
If we live, it’s to honor the Lord. And if we die, it’s to honor the Lord. So whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord. (Romans 14:8)
He died for everyone so that those who receive his new life will no longer live for themselves. Instead, they will live for Christ, who died and was raised for them. (2 Corinthians 5:15)
