I read this past week of a student in Calgary who was punished with in-school suspension for coming to the aid of a classmate who was being threatened with a knife.
According to the article, Briar MacLean stepped between a bully and his victim, pushed the knife brandishing boy away, and shortly after the aggressor was subdued. Briar was thanked by the victim, and went about his school day until being called into the office where he was required to remain until the end of the day, and was questioned by school officials and police. His locker was also searched.
When his mother asked the teacher who had reported Briar’s actions to the principle if he had possibly saved the victim from serious injury, the teacher replied that the question was beside the point, “We don’t condone heroics in this school.”
Now I certainly recognize that Briar placed himself in danger by doing what he did. The smart thing to do would have been to call for a teacher or administrator, if one was near. However, to consider the possibility that Briar had protected a fellow student as irrelevant seems rather peculiar. And, the teacher’s words, “we don’t condone heroics” are especially disconcerting.
Consider that we have reached a point in our society where we are so scared of potential violence, that we are keeping our children from learning important lessons that develop character. Where we once told children to selflessly champion the victim, we now tell them to do nothing that might endanger themselves — To stand by impotently when evil and violence arises. Fathers once told their sons to stand up to a bully. Now children who do so are threatened with suspension or other punishments. Because of this, (and myriad examples throughout society repeatedly indicate the pervasiveness of this attitude), the bully, criminal, and evil person gains the upper hand. Rather than looking for a hero, we discourage heroics. Can we truly say this is a positive trend? Is there not a place for heroes among us?
I read in my Bible of Joshua’s and Caleb’s boldness in spying out the land of Canaan, of Gideon’s valiant 300 men, of David’s contest with Goliath, of Daniel’s disregard of the King’s command not to pray to Jehovah, of the Peter’s and John’s declaration in the face of imprisonment, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you more than to God, you judge. For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.” What is obvious through these and numerous other examples that could be given, is that God, for one, does indeed condone heroics.
I really do understand the fear of the teachers and administrators at Briar’s school. If a teacher was handy, then it could have and should have been handled differently. But, what Briar did was indeed heroic, and should not only be condoned, but praised. When children or adults, men or women, soldiers or civilians, stand up against evil, physical or spiritual, life threatening or soul threatening, we should rejoice that heroes are among us. When heroes arise, evil is conquered. This truth is evident each time a citizen thwarts a crime through brave action, and it is equally evident in the spiritual realm.
The apostle Paul exhorted the Christians in Corinth, “Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong” (1 Corinthians 16:13). He told the Ephesian brethren, “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil… Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.” (Ephesians 6:10-11, 13). James promised that if we resist the devil, “he will flee from you” (James 4:7).
In this age, as always, evil is present and must be battled. So, in our time, heroics are indeed condoned!
