Written by Willy Ling
When we read of tragedies happening far away, our hearts ache – but when it happens here, in our own schools, it hits painfully close to home. The recent incident where a young student lost her life at the hands of another leaves us stunned, worried, and asking, “How did it come to this?”
In moments like these, it is easy to respond out of fear, anger, or blame. We blame the school for not protecting our students. We blame teachers for not noticing the signs. We blame parents, siblings, media, even video games. Yet in times of uncertainty and grief, we are called not to react, but to reflect.
Behind every painful headline are human hearts. A young life lost, another ruined, and many families now torn apart, wondering about their children’s safety and the kind of world we are raising them in.
These tragedies remind us how fragile life is, especially in the absence of hope, guidance, and love. Each one should cause us to pause and reflect on our own lives and on the homes we are nurturing for ourselves and our families.
Before we rush to judgment, let us remember that we rarely know what the people around us are carrying. Many today struggle silently, and the ability to pause, heal, and recover is a privilege not everyone has. Loneliness, pressure, family conflict, and feelings of worthlessness are all too common. Beneath the surface of what may seem like coldness or rebellion may in fact be pain crying out to be seen.
Guarding the Heart and the Home
The Bible reminds us: “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.” (Proverbs 4:23)
Our homes must become a refuge where hearts are guarded with love, not hardened by neglect. It is within the home that compassion, patience, and self-control are learned, through parents who model empathy, love, and create safety in both word and presence.
It is within the home that the fruit of the Spirit; love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Gal 5:22–23) can come alive, and where hearts can be brought before God in prayer to find sanctuary. As the Psalmist says, “The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.” (Psalm 34:18)
Let us take this time to talk to our children and to listen to their fears and frustrations. Help them see how painful this world can be, yet where true hope is found – in God. Pray with them. Let them know that they are loved and seen, and that family is where they can be vulnerable and safe to share their hearts.
Holding On to Hope
When the world seems lost in despair, let us cling to hope. Christ came into a world filled with sin, darkness, and brokenness – to bring light. And we are called to walk as “children of light” (Ephesians 5:8): to be gentle when others are harsh, to comfort when others condemn, and to care deeply even when the world grows cold.
As the saying goes, “Light shines brightest in the deepest dark.” Let us pray for our families, that our hearts may be guarded and filled with hope and love. Let us nurture our children not only to be successful students, but how to deal with challenges that come their way (Jam 1:4). Let us not be “overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” (Rom 12:21).