Where Love is Lacking, Evil Can Step In

Evil can only take hold where there is no love. What can cause such an unthinkable and horrific act? We all want to know why and how could this happen? I have to ask what levels of pain and suffering led this boy to carry out such an unspeakable act? 

We have heard that he was “a handful.” How did his parents handle his difficulties? Did members of their own family blame them for not disciplining him correctly? Did the family scold and criticize? 

Did he fit in at school? Did he have friends? Was he invited to birthday parties?  Did the other children want to come to his home? Did the kids pick on him?  Bully him in the hallways? Steal his belongings? Bully him on the bus? Push him around in the lunch room? Make fun of him? Steer clear of him?

Did his teachers want to understand his differences? Did they welcome the parents’ input into how best to manage him in the classroom? Were they willing to treat him differently or did they insist that he “tow the line”? 

Were his unique abilities appreciated and celebrated? Was he allowed to find what he was good at and balance that with what he could handle? How did his family react when he couldn’t or wouldn’t cooperate? Was he alienated at school or within his own family?

Did he know he was different? Was he helped to see that he had something to contribute?  Did he believe he fit in somewhere in this world? Did he feel worthy of love?

Was there a positive balance to any of the negatives in his life? Were his parents able to continue loving him and each other despite their daily, sometimes hourly struggles? Were they able to find support among friends with similar challenges? Did they seek out  instruction or counseling to help them? Could they see a light at the end of a long tunnel? Was their faith strong enough to carry them through day after day, week after week, year after year of frustration, worry and exhaustion?

Did everyone love enough? That’s what I want to know. Because in the lack of light there is only darkness. Without love, we are vulnerable to evil.