Suicide

As a teacher in a Christian International school, imagine that during your last class of the day as you hand back test papers one female student says, “I can’t believe I did that.  I could shoot myself!”  As you sit in the faculty meeting the next hour, a teacher retiring at the end of the year is unfairly reprimanded by the headmaster.  He turns to you and says, “On days like this I feel hopeless, like I would be better off dead.” 

At first you ignore the remarks because you think the people could not really mean them.  After all, they are both Christians serving God overseas, so surely they would not do such a thing.  However, later that evening you have second thoughts.  Perhaps the student really meant it!  Adolescent girls only talk about suicide, but they do not actually do it, do they?  Aren’t boys the ones who do?  Perhaps the teacher really meant it—but no, as a respected older man he has too much to live for.  Besides, adolescents take their lives, not older people, do they?  In addition, you do not want to talk about it and plant the idea!

Suppose you are wrong.  What if they really meant it?  How would you know if they really meant it?  What could you do about it?  What if you are thinking of taking your own life?  Let us consider these things.