Today, for Americans, is a special day of remembrance and reflection. Today, we remember not one, but two horrific attacks on Americans.
We can all remember where we were that morning on 9/11/2001...as the twin towers fell, the Pentagon was attacked, and as Flight 93 crashed in Shanksville, PA before it could hit it's intended target. We remember the fear, we remember the hurt, we remember shock, we remember the anger, we remember the hatred, and we remember wanting to make those responsible pay for what they had done. We wanted vengeance...
Eleven years later, we as Americans experienced yet another terrorist attack. This attack wasn't on our own soil, but rather on "American" soil at the Benghazi consulate in Libya. At approximately 4 p.m. EST, 10 p.m. local time, our consulate was attacked. The attack lasted for approximately 7 hours and resulted in 4 Americans killed...including the U.S. Ambassador. After the Benghazi attack, many Americans felt, and continue to feel, fear, hurt, shock anger and hatred. Once again, many Americans want vengeance...but this time, these feelings are not reserved for those who perpetrated the attack, but also for our leaders who lied to us about the attack, who refused to send help to those who were under attack, who have trivialized the attack, and who continue to try cover up the attack.
I was...or rather am...one of these. I want so bad to see these people punished. And I would LOVE to be able to do it myself. How unfair is it to see these people getting away with what they have done...so smug...so cocky...so full of themselves...looking down on us like they are untouchable. Oh how I wish they could be brought down a notch or two...hundred. And done so publicly...with everyone laughing at them. How rewarding would it be to watch the have their whole word ruined on the grandest of scales...to feel the pain and suffering that they have caused so many.
This is where I fall short. This is where I struggle. This is not what I should be wishing for. I should not be fighting the fight AGAINST them, I should be fighting the fight FOR them. As Paul wrote to the church in Rome:
"Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: 'It is mine to avenge; I will repay,' says the Lord. On the contrary: 'If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.' Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good." (Romans 12: 17-21)
Now, if that ain't a wake-up...a good old fashioned kick in the pants...I don't know what is. I can easily say that I am good at doing...well...none of that. Man, do I have some work ahead of me...that is NOT going to be easy. And I need to do this not only for me, but to be the example for my wife and daughter. How better to show them the way than to teach by example?
As far as the vengeance...there will be times that I will still want to take matters into my own hands. It will be very hard at times to get past those feelings. But one thing will make it a bit easier...and that's knowing that no matter what I could possibly do or wish upon these people, it could never compare even a fraction to what God has in store for them. It may not seem fair now, but in the end, God will more than break even.
I have a lot to work on in the "loving my enemy" category, and although vengeance may not be mine, I'm sure glad it's His...
