1 Peter 3:8-12
Finally, all of you should agree and have concern and love for each other. You should also be kind and humble. Don’t be hateful and insult people just because they are hateful and insult you. Instead, treat everyone with kindness. You are God’s chosen ones, and he will bless you. The Scriptures say,
“Do you really love life? Do you want to be happy? Then stop saying cruel things and quit telling lies. Give up your evil ways and do right, as you find and follow the road that leads to peace.
The Lord watches over everyone who obeys him, and he listens to their prayers. But he opposes everyone who does evil."
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
On a recent issue of ABC’s 20/20*, the story San Antonio kindergarten teacher, Cynthia Ambrose, was shared. The title given the story was “Did This Teacher Cross the Line?”. Ambrose had a reputation for being a strict disciplinarian. So when a fellow teacher came to her in May 2012 with 6-year-old Aiden Neely, who school officials at Salinas Elementary described as a playground bully, Ambrose decided to teach the child a lesson. She stood him before the class and asked her students if they would like to show Aiden what it felt like when he mistreated them.
Ambrose maintains that before she could even blink, a child approached Aiden and hit him, and then the others started taking their turn. Aiden and his mother claim that Ambrose asked all of her students to line up and take a turn at bullying him. And Aiden’s own teacher, Barbara Ramirez, substantiated this claim in court, saying that Ambrose told the children…"Come on boys and girls, let's line up and let's bully Aiden. Come on, let's hit him harder.” The court convicted Ambrose of “Official Oppression” – a Class-A misdemeanor in Texas. Ambrose was sentenced to 30 days in jail and two years of probation, which means that she won't be able to teach again in Texas until at least after this time frame. Aiden’s mother moved him to another elementary school, where he says the teachers and students are nicer.
As a former kindergarten teacher, I have so many problems with this story. It bothers me that a teacher was proudly recognized in her school for her “tough love”. It bothers me that another teacher took a student to this woman for disciplinary action. But more importantly, if Barbara Ramirez did indeed stand aside and let Ambrose line up the students to take a turn at bullying this child, she should be in just as much trouble as Cynthia Ambrose. The other thing that disturbs me is the child’s testimony in court, which was aired in part on the ABC broadcast. Ambrose insists that the children did not line up and taunt or bully this child. But this little boy testified that they did. When asked by the prosecutor how many kids hit him in the back, he promptly stated, “I think, like 21.” That sounds like a “coached” answer to me. I have seen this happen in my own teaching experience, where a parent was so eager for his/her child to be right that the “correct” answers were given to the child to be repeated when questioned.
The bottom line is that a lot of people were wrong in this sequence of events. Many of them were hateful and insulting. More than one person in this story acted without kindness and humility. This situation truly was wrong on countless levels. But this is not an isolated incident. We are all guilty to some degree of these behaviors on any given day. Hopefully we don’t bully others. Surely we do not stand someone before a group of their peers and suggest that they retaliate. But we may strike back in some way as an individual.
We may set about to “put someone in their place”. This can be as blatant and direct as a verbal insult…or as subtle as a quiet manipulation or “cold shoulder”. At least once in our lives, I bet we have all muttered the sentence, “I’ll show him a thing or two!” We all practice our own version of “tough love”… but our tactics are not necessarily pleasing to God.
This story left me feeling very sad for all involved. Perhaps Cynthia Ambrose really didn’t mean for this to escalate. Maybe she did think that the worst that would happen to little Aiden was that he would be shamed into behaving more kindly. Maybe Aiden’s teacher, Barbara Ramirez, was at her rope’s end and truly thought a colleague could help. Maybe Aiden is something of an innocent victim who was targeted and/or mistreated by his teachers and his peers. In the end, nobody “won”. And this is the case so often when we operate out of anything but love, concern, and a big dose of humility.
When we take matters into our own hands and fail to stop, breathe, and ask God to guide us, some pretty awful things can happen. When we find ourselves in a pit, the only way out often appears to be lies and deception. When our backs are against the wall, we frequently come out clawing and retaliating. And God is heartbroken by the messes we often make.
Most young children are taught to “Stop, look and listen.” Somehow, we seem to forget these instructions as we grow into adulthood! This is a good time to study this scripture passage and think about our own lives…to ask ourselves where we need to do a better job of operating in patience, kindness, humility…and turning the other cheek. Talk to God about the situations in your life that trouble you…ask Him to show you how to react and respond to them. Prayerfully consider your actions, and don’t get caught up in the heat of the moment. Follow the road to peace…and let God handle the “discipline”.
©2014 Debbie Robus
* http://abcnews.go.com/2020/video/teacher-cross-line-22530010
Showing posts with label justice. Show all posts
Showing posts with label justice. Show all posts
Daily Devotional for August 19, 2012
1 Peter 3:8-11
Finally, all of you should agree and have concern and love for each other. You should also be kind and humble. Don’t be hateful and insult people just because they are hateful and insult you. Instead, treat everyone with kindness. You are God’s chosen ones, and he will bless you. The Scriptures say,
“Do you really love life? Do you want to be happy? Then stop saying cruel things and quit telling lies. Give up your evil ways and do right, as you find and follow the road that leads to peace.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
On July 20, 2012, a deranged individual in Aurora, Colorado, entered a movie theater and shot 70 people, killing twelve of them. Almost immediately, people began to ask, “Why? What caused this person to become so mentally unstable… so sick and violent?” Many began to call for his execution… for swift and speedy retribution for his heinous crimes.
A few days later, survivors of another horrific shooting… this one in Tucson, Arizona, on January 8, 2011… spoke publicly about their ordeal after the shooter pled guilty and was sentenced to life in prison. This shooter was also psychologically unsound. Several of his victims noted after the sentencing that what they wanted… to bring back those who died… was not possible. They stated that they believe this sentence represents the best outcome, as this killer will never be free to harm anyone else. As one victim put it, he has learned to follow three steps… to do justice, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God. He said, “I think today that first step was achieved… and the second step was put into play. If we all take that third step, then our society will be a lot better to live in.”
To hear victims of such a horrendous shooting speak with peace and hope truly echoes the words of this scripture passage from 1 Peter. That those who were wounded as they stood alongside others who did not survive can stand and publicly say, “This is the best outcome we could have expected… we can put this behind us now,” exemplifies treating everyone with kindness. These people are not trading “insults” (and I use this word respectfully) and hate for what was given to them. These individuals genuinely want to be happy… to move forward and humbly give of themselves to others. And in order to do this, they have to release the hatred, pain and insults that have been hurled in their direction.
Surely, if victims of these unimaginable, gruesome crimes can do this… we can operate this way in our daily living. Few if any of us have experienced this level of abuse and mistreatment. But the insults and hatred we spew toward those in our path can be just as hurtful. The lies we tell, the unkindness we wield, the arrogance and piety with which we conduct our lives can all have incredible consequences…damage our reputations… and grieve God.
I honestly believe that God is at work in both of these dreadful experiences. He is using the victims of these shootings to show those of us who, by comparison, have incredibly small problems how to walk humbly in love, kindness and truth. These folks are showing us that we make mountains out of molehills. And many of us are operating in evil and wouldn’t know peace and happiness if it hit us over the head!
It’s time to change. We can, you know! The first step for us is to do what the Tucson shooting victim suggested… to live justly… to treat others fairly and with kindness and humility. In the same breath, I believe we must seek the mercy of God for our own life – and our own mercy for the lives of others. We must then strive to humbly walk with God every single day. We can do this… but we cannot do it on our own.
Where do you fit into this picture? Are hatred and insults eating you alive, or are you walking with God in peace and happiness? As Pastor Joel Osteen likes to say, “Are you a victim, or a victor?” The choice is yours… which will you decide?
©2012 Debbie Robus
Finally, all of you should agree and have concern and love for each other. You should also be kind and humble. Don’t be hateful and insult people just because they are hateful and insult you. Instead, treat everyone with kindness. You are God’s chosen ones, and he will bless you. The Scriptures say,
“Do you really love life? Do you want to be happy? Then stop saying cruel things and quit telling lies. Give up your evil ways and do right, as you find and follow the road that leads to peace.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
On July 20, 2012, a deranged individual in Aurora, Colorado, entered a movie theater and shot 70 people, killing twelve of them. Almost immediately, people began to ask, “Why? What caused this person to become so mentally unstable… so sick and violent?” Many began to call for his execution… for swift and speedy retribution for his heinous crimes.
A few days later, survivors of another horrific shooting… this one in Tucson, Arizona, on January 8, 2011… spoke publicly about their ordeal after the shooter pled guilty and was sentenced to life in prison. This shooter was also psychologically unsound. Several of his victims noted after the sentencing that what they wanted… to bring back those who died… was not possible. They stated that they believe this sentence represents the best outcome, as this killer will never be free to harm anyone else. As one victim put it, he has learned to follow three steps… to do justice, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God. He said, “I think today that first step was achieved… and the second step was put into play. If we all take that third step, then our society will be a lot better to live in.”
To hear victims of such a horrendous shooting speak with peace and hope truly echoes the words of this scripture passage from 1 Peter. That those who were wounded as they stood alongside others who did not survive can stand and publicly say, “This is the best outcome we could have expected… we can put this behind us now,” exemplifies treating everyone with kindness. These people are not trading “insults” (and I use this word respectfully) and hate for what was given to them. These individuals genuinely want to be happy… to move forward and humbly give of themselves to others. And in order to do this, they have to release the hatred, pain and insults that have been hurled in their direction.
Surely, if victims of these unimaginable, gruesome crimes can do this… we can operate this way in our daily living. Few if any of us have experienced this level of abuse and mistreatment. But the insults and hatred we spew toward those in our path can be just as hurtful. The lies we tell, the unkindness we wield, the arrogance and piety with which we conduct our lives can all have incredible consequences…damage our reputations… and grieve God.
I honestly believe that God is at work in both of these dreadful experiences. He is using the victims of these shootings to show those of us who, by comparison, have incredibly small problems how to walk humbly in love, kindness and truth. These folks are showing us that we make mountains out of molehills. And many of us are operating in evil and wouldn’t know peace and happiness if it hit us over the head!
It’s time to change. We can, you know! The first step for us is to do what the Tucson shooting victim suggested… to live justly… to treat others fairly and with kindness and humility. In the same breath, I believe we must seek the mercy of God for our own life – and our own mercy for the lives of others. We must then strive to humbly walk with God every single day. We can do this… but we cannot do it on our own.
Where do you fit into this picture? Are hatred and insults eating you alive, or are you walking with God in peace and happiness? As Pastor Joel Osteen likes to say, “Are you a victim, or a victor?” The choice is yours… which will you decide?
©2012 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for November 30, 2011
John 18:10-11 Simon Peter had brought along a sword. He now pulled it out and struck at the servant of the high priest. The servant's name was Malchus, and Peter cut off his right ear. Jesus told Peter, "Put your sword away. I must drink from the cup that the Father has given me."
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
When I read this passage, I immediately thought of parents and fans at sporting events. There are times when they feel their child, coach, or participant has been mistreated or wrongly penalized, and they go ballistic. If they could get to the referees to cut off an ear, they probably would! This was a knee-jerk reaction on Peter’s part… and how many of us often behave – even in public!
Jesus shows us in this passage that we often operate outside our boundaries and behave in a manner that does not line up with what He expects from His Disciples. When we do what is honest and fair… and leave the “justice” to God and those who are in the position to make such judgments… we honor our relationship with Jesus Christ and model Christian behavior.
Let me give you another example… I sold an item on eBay, and the buyer asked me to ship the item to her daughter, who lives in Seattle. She said, “I will pay extra for your trouble.” However, she paid the invoice before I calculated the actual shipping cost, and she underpaid by almost one dollar. I told her not to worry about the extra shipping costs, although my profit margin on this piece was already really small. I could have issued a refund and rebilled this woman for the correct amount… and I admit that I considered doing this! But I decided that making another $1.00 was not worth the risk of hurt feelings and creating a bad business relationship.
The next day, I received a message from the buyer saying that she had added extra money to my account to cover the trouble and expense of shipping to her daughter. I checked my account – she added $10! I thanked her and fussed at her for being so overly generous. But in the end, both of us got a blessing and the satisfaction of knowing we did the right thing.
I’m not saying that every time you refrain from cussing a referee you will get extra money in your bank account or some other “reward.” But knowing you did what honors Jesus and your relationship with Him should be enough. I am still learning about online selling, and I’ve messed up and been “burned” more than once… but I’ve always asked myself how Jesus would handle the situation. Even when it hurt my bottom line, I’ve tried to do what I knew was fair and honorable. If we would stop and think about this in all areas of our life, we would have far fewer “lobbed off ears” and more moments of honor and glory to our LORD and Savior, Jesus Christ.
My challenge to each of us this day is to search our hearts and see where we are trying to invoke justice of our own kind… or make things work out in our favor… and ask if this truly is how Jesus would handle things. Are we pleasing ourselves and/or seeking revenge… or are we honoring our faith? The two are often not the same… do you know the difference?
©2011 Debbie Robus
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
When I read this passage, I immediately thought of parents and fans at sporting events. There are times when they feel their child, coach, or participant has been mistreated or wrongly penalized, and they go ballistic. If they could get to the referees to cut off an ear, they probably would! This was a knee-jerk reaction on Peter’s part… and how many of us often behave – even in public!
Jesus shows us in this passage that we often operate outside our boundaries and behave in a manner that does not line up with what He expects from His Disciples. When we do what is honest and fair… and leave the “justice” to God and those who are in the position to make such judgments… we honor our relationship with Jesus Christ and model Christian behavior.
Let me give you another example… I sold an item on eBay, and the buyer asked me to ship the item to her daughter, who lives in Seattle. She said, “I will pay extra for your trouble.” However, she paid the invoice before I calculated the actual shipping cost, and she underpaid by almost one dollar. I told her not to worry about the extra shipping costs, although my profit margin on this piece was already really small. I could have issued a refund and rebilled this woman for the correct amount… and I admit that I considered doing this! But I decided that making another $1.00 was not worth the risk of hurt feelings and creating a bad business relationship.
The next day, I received a message from the buyer saying that she had added extra money to my account to cover the trouble and expense of shipping to her daughter. I checked my account – she added $10! I thanked her and fussed at her for being so overly generous. But in the end, both of us got a blessing and the satisfaction of knowing we did the right thing.
I’m not saying that every time you refrain from cussing a referee you will get extra money in your bank account or some other “reward.” But knowing you did what honors Jesus and your relationship with Him should be enough. I am still learning about online selling, and I’ve messed up and been “burned” more than once… but I’ve always asked myself how Jesus would handle the situation. Even when it hurt my bottom line, I’ve tried to do what I knew was fair and honorable. If we would stop and think about this in all areas of our life, we would have far fewer “lobbed off ears” and more moments of honor and glory to our LORD and Savior, Jesus Christ.
My challenge to each of us this day is to search our hearts and see where we are trying to invoke justice of our own kind… or make things work out in our favor… and ask if this truly is how Jesus would handle things. Are we pleasing ourselves and/or seeking revenge… or are we honoring our faith? The two are often not the same… do you know the difference?
©2011 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for August 2, 2011
Psalm 101:1-2
I will sing to you, LORD! I will celebrate your kindness and your justice. Please help me learn to do the right thing, and I will be honest and fair in my own kingdom.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
I’ve been listening to all of the talk from Washington about our federal budget, and I’ve done my fair share of grumbling about waste, overspending, and more. As I handle my grandmother’s business affairs, I’ve seen several opportunities for individuals and agencies to “do the right thing.” Instead, it appears many chose to behave differently. This is not a political commentary, but rather a personal observation.
In recent days, I’ve actually had more than one encounter with a service or repair person who offered to “take a look” at my problem for no charge. This is impressive… such offers are becoming a rarity in our society. Even “looking,” seems to come at a cost. And more than once, I’ve seen charges for a “referral” to another person or agency, when nothing more than the click of a button or the tap of a computer key occurred. Did this really merit a hefty charge? Does flipping a switch to connect a service honestly deserve a “hookup fee?” Are we to the point where we truly never do anything for someone else without some sort of payment involved
More importantly, how often are we “charging” others in God’s name? If we do something kind for someone, do we expect favors in return? Do we make promises we can’t keep? Do we say we will call or show up, then fail to do so? Do we only do something for others when we think we will be rewarded? Do we give God lip service… tell Him we will serve Him with all we have in us… then go about the business of doing as we please?
Think about the people in your circle… those you know well in your community, school and business circles, and your church family. When you think of these people in terms of integrity, what names come to mind? Do you readily picture people who operate in honesty and fairness… both in their daily living and their Christian service? Do you see that these people have studied the kindness and justice of God… and carried it over into their own lives? Don’t you want to be more like these people? Isn’t this how we should all be operating?
I have no illusions of being able to change how others behave… or getting them to stop making unnecessary and exorbitant charges. These folks will have to answer to God for this at some point. But I can do my very best to operate fully in kindness, fairness, justice and integrity… to honor God with my most upright behavior in every arena of life. And so can you! It’s a start… and we might just be able to influence others by doing the right thing ourselves.
Thank God for being so just and fair toward us. Ask Him to show you how to live a life of kindness and justice. Do the right thing… always… as you serve to further God’s Kingdom – and in your own daily living, as well.
©2011 Debbie Robus
I will sing to you, LORD! I will celebrate your kindness and your justice. Please help me learn to do the right thing, and I will be honest and fair in my own kingdom.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
I’ve been listening to all of the talk from Washington about our federal budget, and I’ve done my fair share of grumbling about waste, overspending, and more. As I handle my grandmother’s business affairs, I’ve seen several opportunities for individuals and agencies to “do the right thing.” Instead, it appears many chose to behave differently. This is not a political commentary, but rather a personal observation.
In recent days, I’ve actually had more than one encounter with a service or repair person who offered to “take a look” at my problem for no charge. This is impressive… such offers are becoming a rarity in our society. Even “looking,” seems to come at a cost. And more than once, I’ve seen charges for a “referral” to another person or agency, when nothing more than the click of a button or the tap of a computer key occurred. Did this really merit a hefty charge? Does flipping a switch to connect a service honestly deserve a “hookup fee?” Are we to the point where we truly never do anything for someone else without some sort of payment involved
More importantly, how often are we “charging” others in God’s name? If we do something kind for someone, do we expect favors in return? Do we make promises we can’t keep? Do we say we will call or show up, then fail to do so? Do we only do something for others when we think we will be rewarded? Do we give God lip service… tell Him we will serve Him with all we have in us… then go about the business of doing as we please?
Think about the people in your circle… those you know well in your community, school and business circles, and your church family. When you think of these people in terms of integrity, what names come to mind? Do you readily picture people who operate in honesty and fairness… both in their daily living and their Christian service? Do you see that these people have studied the kindness and justice of God… and carried it over into their own lives? Don’t you want to be more like these people? Isn’t this how we should all be operating?
I have no illusions of being able to change how others behave… or getting them to stop making unnecessary and exorbitant charges. These folks will have to answer to God for this at some point. But I can do my very best to operate fully in kindness, fairness, justice and integrity… to honor God with my most upright behavior in every arena of life. And so can you! It’s a start… and we might just be able to influence others by doing the right thing ourselves.
Thank God for being so just and fair toward us. Ask Him to show you how to live a life of kindness and justice. Do the right thing… always… as you serve to further God’s Kingdom – and in your own daily living, as well.
©2011 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for May 3, 2011
John 12:35-40
Jesus said, "For a brief time still, the light is among you. Walk by the light you have so darkness doesn't destroy you. If you walk in darkness, you don't know where you're going. As you have the light, believe in the light. Then the light will be within you, and shining through your lives. You'll be children of light."
Jesus said all this, and then went into hiding. All these God-signs he had given them and they still didn't get it, still wouldn't trust him. This proved that the prophet Isaiah was right:
God, who believed what we preached?
Who recognized God's arm, outstretched and ready to act?
First they wouldn't believe, then they couldn't—again, just as Isaiah said:
Their eyes are blinded, their hearts are hardened,
So that they wouldn't see with their eyes and perceive with their hearts,
And turn to me, God, so I could heal them.
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
Like most of you, my husband and I watched as President Obama announced that Osama bin Laden had been killed. It didn’t take long for people to take to the streets and begin to publicly cheer this news. “It’s a great day for the country,” more than one person said. And I get that. I still maintain contact with the families of two NYC firefighters whose lives were snuffed out in the 9/11 attack on the Twin Towers. I spoke via Facebook with the wife of one of the firefighters… a mother of three – her youngest born about seven months after the attack. I understand that she and her sons feel vindicated.
At the same time, my husband and I discussed how we have prayed for a different outcome – for God to be able to soften Osama bin Laden’s heart and cause him to surrender… and repent for his atrocities. This did not happen. And truly, I have concluded that there are some people who are so horribly blinded… so firmly in the grip of Satan… that their hearts are hardened beyond redemption. Thankfully, there aren’t many such monsters, but bin Laden may have indeed been one of them. And God may have allowed him to be taken out to put an end to his madness and horrific treatment of others. This still doesn’t give us the right to celebrate his death… or the death of any human being.
We can celebrate that a reign of tyranny is forever changed, though probably not gone. We can celebrate the relief at knowing that this particular terrorist can never threaten us again. But as Christians, we must not let our own hearts become hardened to the point that we delight in revenge. There is no winner here. The death of bin Laden will not bring back a single soul who perished on 9/11 or during bin Laden’s reign of terror. Osama bin Laden’s death did not change the fact that others suffered and died at his hands. Our only hope is to trust God to give us the strength and courage to forgive and move forward. We never forget… but we must walk in the light of forgiveness.
Do you see that failure to forgive is the same as walking in the darkness with the devil? Do you get that vengeance and revenge are God’s to mete out… not ours? We can never understand why God did not snuff out the life of such an evil person as Osama bin Laden a long, long time ago. But the beauty of our faith is that we don’t have to understand… we just have to believe that God is in control, and His ways – hard as they may be for us to stomach sometimes – are always right.
Whether it’s your next-door neighbor with whom you have a grudge over property lines or a bully you wish would come to a bad end… or the death and obliteration of Osama bin Laden… don’t celebrate. The Bible tells us that God grieves when even one of his sheep is lost. He was brokenhearted at the fall of the angel Lucifer, whom we now know as Satan. So I have no doubt that this death has grieved Him, also. Pray that God would use these events to bring others to a realization that we must learn to live in peace and harmony and treat each other better. Ask God to use this particular incident to grant a semblance of peace and resolution to thousands of family members throughout the world… and pray for those who are still following the terroristic practices of Osama bin Laden. But also pray that we would find a way to walk in the light of Christ - with faithful, open hearts that seek His will and trust His plans.
Pray for the families who have been affected directly by terrorists and Al Qaeda. Pray for our nation and for those in other countries. Ask God to keep our hearts softened to His message… and our feet firmly planted in the path of the light of Christ… far, far away from the darkness.
©2011 Debbie Robus
Jesus said, "For a brief time still, the light is among you. Walk by the light you have so darkness doesn't destroy you. If you walk in darkness, you don't know where you're going. As you have the light, believe in the light. Then the light will be within you, and shining through your lives. You'll be children of light."
Jesus said all this, and then went into hiding. All these God-signs he had given them and they still didn't get it, still wouldn't trust him. This proved that the prophet Isaiah was right:
God, who believed what we preached?
Who recognized God's arm, outstretched and ready to act?
First they wouldn't believe, then they couldn't—again, just as Isaiah said:
Their eyes are blinded, their hearts are hardened,
So that they wouldn't see with their eyes and perceive with their hearts,
And turn to me, God, so I could heal them.
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
Like most of you, my husband and I watched as President Obama announced that Osama bin Laden had been killed. It didn’t take long for people to take to the streets and begin to publicly cheer this news. “It’s a great day for the country,” more than one person said. And I get that. I still maintain contact with the families of two NYC firefighters whose lives were snuffed out in the 9/11 attack on the Twin Towers. I spoke via Facebook with the wife of one of the firefighters… a mother of three – her youngest born about seven months after the attack. I understand that she and her sons feel vindicated.
At the same time, my husband and I discussed how we have prayed for a different outcome – for God to be able to soften Osama bin Laden’s heart and cause him to surrender… and repent for his atrocities. This did not happen. And truly, I have concluded that there are some people who are so horribly blinded… so firmly in the grip of Satan… that their hearts are hardened beyond redemption. Thankfully, there aren’t many such monsters, but bin Laden may have indeed been one of them. And God may have allowed him to be taken out to put an end to his madness and horrific treatment of others. This still doesn’t give us the right to celebrate his death… or the death of any human being.
We can celebrate that a reign of tyranny is forever changed, though probably not gone. We can celebrate the relief at knowing that this particular terrorist can never threaten us again. But as Christians, we must not let our own hearts become hardened to the point that we delight in revenge. There is no winner here. The death of bin Laden will not bring back a single soul who perished on 9/11 or during bin Laden’s reign of terror. Osama bin Laden’s death did not change the fact that others suffered and died at his hands. Our only hope is to trust God to give us the strength and courage to forgive and move forward. We never forget… but we must walk in the light of forgiveness.
Do you see that failure to forgive is the same as walking in the darkness with the devil? Do you get that vengeance and revenge are God’s to mete out… not ours? We can never understand why God did not snuff out the life of such an evil person as Osama bin Laden a long, long time ago. But the beauty of our faith is that we don’t have to understand… we just have to believe that God is in control, and His ways – hard as they may be for us to stomach sometimes – are always right.
Whether it’s your next-door neighbor with whom you have a grudge over property lines or a bully you wish would come to a bad end… or the death and obliteration of Osama bin Laden… don’t celebrate. The Bible tells us that God grieves when even one of his sheep is lost. He was brokenhearted at the fall of the angel Lucifer, whom we now know as Satan. So I have no doubt that this death has grieved Him, also. Pray that God would use these events to bring others to a realization that we must learn to live in peace and harmony and treat each other better. Ask God to use this particular incident to grant a semblance of peace and resolution to thousands of family members throughout the world… and pray for those who are still following the terroristic practices of Osama bin Laden. But also pray that we would find a way to walk in the light of Christ - with faithful, open hearts that seek His will and trust His plans.
Pray for the families who have been affected directly by terrorists and Al Qaeda. Pray for our nation and for those in other countries. Ask God to keep our hearts softened to His message… and our feet firmly planted in the path of the light of Christ… far, far away from the darkness.
©2011 Debbie Robus
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