I logged onto Facebook last night to find my homepage covered with status updates about Osama bin Laden's death...I quickly turned on the T.V. (because the media on television is always more accurate than Facebook, right?). Sure enough - this man who has become such an elusive icon of violence and terrorism was dead, and the U.S. had his body to prove it.
Three things before I continue:
1. I'm incredibly grateful to live in America, and I'm even more grateful that men and women are willing to protect us in the armed forces.
2. I'm not pro or anti war - I see and understand the reasons for it, and the reasons to avoid it - so when I say what I'm about to say, I'm not taking political sides, or saying I'm ungrateful for men and women who protect us... I'm not taking a side on it.. mainly because it wouldn't help anything if I did...partly because I'm tired of hearing folks argue about it.
3. These are just thoughts as I process... I'm not an authority and there's a great chance I'm incorrect in my thinking. Take this as a disclaimer. Now I'll move on...
I won't lie - initially, I was glad to hear the news. It made the war seem a bit more worth it - knowing that this manhunt was finally over. I wasn't jumping up and down - actually, I was trying to kill a roach in our living room (they move in when you leave your door open all day). I think I had more of the 24 kind of thoughts running through my head - like bin Laden would really still be alive and the body was a look-a-like (too many spy movies and soap operas, I know)... but then it occurred to me that someone was dead. Words like "victory" and "justice" were spoken, followed by phrases like "God bless America." Whatever relief I felt was quickly met with confusion, and questions.
- Am I insensitive, or unpatriotic, or ungrateful to be sad over the death of a terrorist and violent, morally deficient man?
- Is this really a victory?
- What does true justice look like - was this it?
- Am I ungrateful or unpatriotic if when hearing "God Bless America" in this situation makes me a little uneasy?
I've read a lot of posts, statuses, and listened to a lot of opinions on this topic since last night. Some I agree with, others I don't. In processing my thoughts about it (which is what this post is - processing), I've got a couple thoughts...
1. I think it's okay to be glad that there will be one less terrorist terrorizing and torturing people. I don't mean glad as in - let's go celebrate with our American flags and gloat about it - I just mean, I think it's okay to find the joy in knowing that he won't hurt another person again. Things that he planned and participated in were horrific to say the least, and he'll never harm another human being again...I think that's good. I think that God is Sovereign, and He always works for His glory. He has instituted earthly government in complete sovereignty. If justice is equated with carrying out fair actions, than "a life for a life" seems just. Justice says that I deserve death because of my sin - the Gospel says that God, in His mercy, sent Jesus to pay for my sin - and that only through faith in His death and resurrection - am I justified from my sin. God is both merciful and just - always. His ways are not my ways, and His thoughts are not my thoughts - which is why I struggle sometimes reading the Old Testament. There are times when God seems to just wipe out people groups at random - BUT I don't believe it was without purpose. I believe He's good. I believe that He is good and that He pursues us - He wants to bring us into a saving relationship with Him - but I think there's a point (who knows when that is) when we reject Him one too many times. Apart from the justification of Christ Jesus, we're held accountable to a law and standard of holiness that we could never maintain - and a just ruling by the law is death.
2. I think it's okay to be sad. I climbed into bed with my head full of thoughts last night, and I realized that God doesn't view my sin as any better or worse than this terrorist. There's no hierarchy of sin. No one sin hurts God's heart less than another, and no mistake hurts his heart worse than another - Sin is sin. My sin put the Son of God on a cross just as much as bin Laden's did. I really believe that Jesus died for him with as much love and grace and intention that he had for me and you. This might sound a bit much - but if Jesus equated lust with adultery, and hatred with murder - then can we really say that we're better than this man? Self-righteousness rose in me like crazy - how could God really love a terrorist just as much as He loves me? But the truth is - He loves me because He is love, not because of who I am or what I do (or don't do, or don't do most of the time) - and I believe He loved bin Laden, not because of what bin Laden did or because his actions didn't break God's heart - but because He is love. It's okay to be sad that bin Laden is dead because he will spend eternity separated from Holy God - and before you say, "he deserves it" - you must acknowledge that you and I do too.
3. I get a bit nervous when we say things like "God bless America" and here's why:
*It's not that I don't want God to bless my country - I do. I think He has - abundantly and graciously - blessed us. I just think we've turned from Him and gone our own way as a country. God graciously blesses us because He sees fit to do so, but I really think our arrogance as a nation will catch up to us. It's His kindness that's meant to lead us to repentance - but I feel like we're just a bunch of spoiled children who run up to Him, take the blessing, and abuse His grace at will. We come to Him when things are bad, but we just come because we want what He can give us - not because we want Him. It's not just America - it's people. I do that. I do that all the time.
*I think when I hear "God bless America" it's generally in the context of asking God to bless us more than another country or people - or in the context of "We're better than you" as though we have God on our side and they don't. As though He loves us more and He doesn't care for them at all. Do I want God to bless my country? Yes. Do I want Him to bless other nations? Yes. Why? because I want their eyes to be open to grace - just like I want my eyes to be open to grace - and just like I want my country's eyes to be open to grace.
*Sometimes when I hear "God bless America" it's in the context of wanting Him to bless us because we think we've done something great as a nation and we deserve it. I think it's a dangerous trap to get into personally and corporately as a nation. When I approach the throne of God with my "report card", and point to what I think is a great grade and ask/demand Him to bless me for it - I'm on dangerous ground. I don't know how well it goes over with God Almighty when we come before Him in a spirit of entitlement. Does He bless those who seek Him, who ask for blessing, who obey Him? Yes, according to His wisdom and will. Has He blessed me when I've least deserved it? Yes, according to His grace and mercy. I might be wrong in this, but part of me thinks that if I come before God demanding to be blessed for my performance, it might be in my best interest to check the attitude of my heart.
As far as war is concerned, I'll leave you with these words from Paul:
"For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers,
against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness
in the heavenly places. Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that
you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm."
- Ephesians 6:12-13
As far as victory is concerned, I'll leave you with this: Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again.
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