LOVE YOUR ENEMIES!

May 2, 2011

So Osama Bin Laden is dead. Some say that brings him to justice. What will bring us to justice? Our deaths? Some will say we are just. But, I repeat a now famous saying, "Let him who without fault (sin) cast the first stone."

How can we who are sinful bring anyone to justice?

So, what are we to do. Turn to the one who can help. If you believe as I do please speak out. We are not righteous. We are guilty of disobeying the one who created us and loves us. Seek righteousness by seeking the righteous one. Hunger and thirst for righteousness inside ourselves. No one can be made righteous by force. The death of Bin Laden has not made him righteous and it will not lead his followers to righteousness.

Turn the other cheek, trust the one who saves. The advice itself if given or taken poorly is likely to create more conflict. There will be many who proclaim these words to be wrong and stupid. If I respond harshly with angry tones, nothing will be accomplished. Words alone will not turn the tide. Witnessing actions sent from a sovereign/loving God will show the way for many. Many more will still not believe. Are we to turn away from them? No, we are to continue to love them, demonstrate compassion, listen and accept them. But, we must not accept their unrighteous ideas.

The pain of 911 will not diminish or go away until we learn to forgive. No amount of human justice will take away the pain. We will not recover from the pain of the devastation at ground zero until we understand the nature and identity of the villains. We are the guilty. Sure it was taken down by terrorist but, God allowed it because we have turned away from Him.

In OT times God told the Israelites to destroy their enemies. They tried and failed. Instead they became prideful and confident in their own capabilities and stopped paying attention to their God. They became weak and very much the same as their enemies. God was not opposed to their fighting. He was angered when they did it on their own and refused to obey Him.

I just know, that I was repulsed when I saw the celebrations over Bin laden's death. It is wrong to celebrate over an enemies death. I was feeling sad for the revelers. It is biblically wrong! The man who said he was happy that his Son's death was revenged did not look very happy. Evil is awful but, we must not try to conquer evil with evil. We must stand above it. We cannot do that alone.