We had been watching something else on TV and switched to a news channel to catch the 10PM news. Seeing the caption that told me Usama bin Laden had been killed in a raid was too much to realize for a few seconds.
After just a few minutes it became clear this was more than rumor and that the figure head of Al Qaeda and perpetrator of the attacks of September 11 was indeed dead. It did not take long for noisy crowds to gather in front of the White House and in New York, chanting, dancing and celebrating this event.
While this news is undoubtedly positive for the US and indeed for the free world, my feelings were not toward fist pumps, high fives or war whoops. I almost immediately turned to my wife and said, "that man just stepped into eternity to meet the Judge", and she had the same sentiment.
Others have a different feeling and they are certainly allowed not only that feeling but the right to express it. I would just like to express mine.
Maybe if this happened sooner after 911 I would feel differently, but as it is, it has given me pause and I'm troubled by our cavalier attitude about human life, and how quickly we can condemn individuals based on our own personal judgement.
Admittedly, it's easy to look at the massive loss of life on 911 and the other attacks before and since and condemn this man to death. But what about me? What about you? Are you without sin so that you can cast the first stone? I think we have a tendency to compare ourselves to 'heinous criminals' and somehow feel much better ourselves.
The Bible teaches a very different standard. If we break one of His laws we are guilty and thereby condemned to death. That's a standard too great for us, so He provided a way for us to be saved from this condemnation.
Don't get me wrong; I'm glad the man has been removed. I just don't feel like celebrating. And I am so grateful that God is a completely righteous judge and the he never changes. I can put my trust in Him. While radical Islam has sent its sons to die for their cause, our God sent HIS son to die so that I would not have to. That is something I can celebrate.
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