I have to admit that I have trouble reconciling “love your enemies” with the need to stop those who murder in the name of God…I’m specifically thinking of Osama bin Laden. Its hard for me to not want men like him dead. I’d be less than honest if I said otherwise. Last Sunday I had a daydream of Old Testament Israelite warriors obediently slaying their enemies, but rather than blood lust, these dutiful men had tears streaming down their faces as they put their enemies to the sword. God doesn’t take pleasure in punishing evil doers, but His justice is righteous and perfect. Christians are instructed to hate the sin but love the sinner. When it comes to notorius murderers like Osama bin Laden I find myself in need of some other point of reference to bring my heart and mind anywhere near feeing love for him. Its much easier to hate those who hate. What helps is thinking of what he was like when he was a little boy, laughing and playing, crying when he skinned his knees. I imagine God must see all His creation this way. How much does it grieve God to punish those who have chosen Satan as their father? The father of lies.
Proverbs 24:17-20
Do not gloat when your enemy falls; when he stumbles, do not let your heart rejoice, or the Lord will see and disapprove and turn his wrath away from him.
Do not fret because of evil men or be envious of the wicked, for the evil man has no future hope, and the lamp of the wicked will be snuffed out.
In the days ahead I’ll most likely have something to say about these current events:
The beheading of Nick Berg. Curious Al-Qaeda connection. Questions loom.
The mistreatment of Iraqi prisoners by American soldiers. Humiliation. Degradation, but torture? Post quotes of liberals.
The State of Massachusetts legalized ‘gay marriage’ on May 17th.
NBC decides to NOT air President Bush’s televised address to the American people on the Iraq War on May 24th.