As I write this, I anticipate much anger directed toward me. But as I meditate on the events that have transpired over the last 11 hours, I find myself having very mixed emotions. Let me begin by stating that I think the death of Osama Bin Laden is a good thing. Like every American, every year on the anniversary of 9/11, I mourn the death of the innocent Americans that died at the hand of the terrorists he led. With a heavy heart, I think about the children that lost parents. I think about husbands and wives that lost their soul mates and thank God for my wife and family. I mourn the loss of the soldiers that have died over the last 10 years, fighting for freedom and to end terror in this world. I am proud of this country and thank God for the freedom I have each and every day; the same freedom I have to write this blog today. I love this country, but it’s not the Kingdom I choose to serve. The Kingdom of God is where my perspective must come from, and that’s where my emotions must rise from.
So, with that said, it may shock you to know that I mourn the death of Osama Bin Laden. Like I said, I do believe that His death is a good thing and our world is safer from it, but I still mourn his death. From beginning to end, this man’s life and America’s association with him has been nothing to rejoice. The news we received on Sunday night was simply the pinnacle of a long progression of war and death, and more than likely, not the end. War and death are not something to celebrate. In the general scheme of things, the Kingdom of God has not been advanced one inch. To be honest, from an eternal perspective, what has transpired doesn't matter all that much. War is not a sporting event and as much as we want to believe it, Jesus is not on our team. He doesn’t rejoice at the death of Osama Bin Laden and does not breathe a sigh of relief that America gained a few more points in the game.
What I do believe is that God is very much anticipating how each and every one of us is going to react today; not so much from an external perspective, but internal. What do our hearts really feel at this moment? What is the truth that will be taken from these events and what is God’s perspective on what has happened. That’s the perspective that I choose to view this from. And a great deal of that perspective comes from Scripture. But before I refer to Christ’s words, let me address one particular perspective that I’ve seen some folks using as a defense.
Many people refer to some of the Old Testament examples of war, and how God seems to bless, approve and even rejoice in the victories of Israel. It appears that by looking at these many references, God endorses war and rejoicing in the victories of war. I understand completely why some well intending people would use these examples as justification for America’s rejoicing today. However, as with anything in Scripture, we have to look at this from a proper perspective. The nation of Israel was God’s chosen people. This was the nation that He chose to build this world through. These were the people that would begin the long progression of events that would bring Jesus Christ into this world and begin the eventual realization of the Kingdom of God coming to fruition. These were His people, His nation, His mission and in essence, His In many ways, it was not the people of Israel fighting other nations, but God fighting through them to defend Himself, His honor, worship and glory. When Israel celebrated the death and victory from war, in many ways it was God celebrating and the people glorified God more than they did country. They celebrated in the Temple. We celebrate on the White House lawn.
So, flash forward several hundred years. Things have changed. Messiah has come. Jesus has inaugurated the Kingdom of God and calls the people of Israel to start looking at things very differently. In essence, Rome was terrorizing and oppressing God’s people and they wanted nothing more than for a political and military Messiah to rise up and smack Rome on its ass. But instead, we start hearing things like, “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” (Matthew 5:43-48) “But I tell you, Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.” (Matthew 5:39) "Put your sword back in its place," Jesus said to him, "for all who draw the sword will die by the sword.” (Matthew26:52)
These are only three examples, but in the historical context of these references from the Gospel according to Matthew, Jesus is speaking to the Jews and more than likely referring to the Roman Empire. I guarantee you that these words were not easy for Jesus’ followers to hear. They went against everything they felt, were taught and believed at that point, but Jesus was calling His followers, and all of us, to look at the world from a different perspective. To open our view of “kingdom” and “nation” to more than just the borders that surround us. To view brother and sister to include more than just those that we see each and every day. In essence, Jesus was calling us to view the world from His perspective and not ours. You won’t like hearing this, but God loved Osama Bin laden, longed for his salvation and knew the number of hairs on his head, just as he does for you and me. And that leaves me with a sobering thought. Would those that cheer his death, be the same one's cheering his salvation? And how many of us actually prayed for his salvation?
This does not diminish the death of those that lost their lives on 9/11 and does not take away from the fact that Bin Laden’s death is justified. Like I said before, in reality, it is a good things that he is dead and if you were to ask me if I am glad, in a deep dark place in my heart, I have to admit that I am. I will admit to you that my first reaction to the news was excitement, joy and the urge to celebrate. But taking a few steps back, and asking myself the cliche question, “What would Jesus do?”, for the life of me, and as hard as I tried, I could not image Him standing on the lawn of the White House, arm in arm with Americans and chanting, “USA! USA! USA!”
