by: Jason Williams
I grew up around guns.
I shot my first gun at age 5 and began hunting with my dad and brother soon after. I owned my first gun when I turned 13, and my dad taught me to use a gun safely and effectively to provide food for and to defend my family.
I have always been against gun control because I understood that a gun is simply a tool and I knew how to safely use the weapon I held.
Recently, my very close friend was murdered by a boy with a gun. I have to admit, during that time my emotions bounced from confusion, to anger, sadness and despair. In all of this, I began to question how a thug could own a gun and use his rights to own a gun to take away my friends right to live. I even took a break from most of my work and writing to get alone and sort all these feelings out.
I have thought long and hard about this issue as the weight of my friends passing hit home. He was killed by a weapon that I have defended. Did I contribute to his death? How can anybody kill another person? Could tougher gun control laws have prevented this? Is gun control any different than drug control? All of these questions raced through my head this week as well as a thousand others as I prepared for my friends funeral.
Finally, after a lot of thought and prayer and anguish, I have come to these conclusions.
1. A gun did not kill my friend, another person did.
2. This man who killed my friend did not follow the laws in obtaining a gun, so why should we expect new laws to change that?
3. People have always used good things to do bad things. (Look up the story of Cain and Abel in the book of Genesis)
4. More laws cannot change the fact that bad people do bad things. Only Jesus can change people.
I have changed my mind on gun control countless times during this time, and finally have arrived at the conclusion that a gun can be used for good or for evil.
Pray for me as I continue to struggle with this and for the family of my friend as they deal with this loss.
Jason Williams
Assistant Pastor
High Street Baptist Church
Columbus, OH
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