Without Blood on my Hands
A commentary by Darris McNeely
United Church of God pastor, Indianapolis and Fort Wayne, Indiana
I am very glad I will not have to meet God with blood on my hands.
Last month's New York Times carries a story from Erez, in the
Gaza Strip. It tells the tragic story of a Palestinian mother who blew
herself up at an Israeli inspection site killing four security personnel
and wounding seven others. She left behind two infant children. The article
does not say how many children her victims leave. In a videotape made
before her death she said, "It was always my wish to turn my body
into deadly shrapnel against the Zionists and to knock on the doors of
heaven with the skulls of Zionists."
Using women as homicide bombers is a major departure for Palestinian
terrorist organizations. The woman, Reem al-Reyashi, aged 22, feigned
an injury to gain access inside the checkpoint where she lured a guard
to inspect her before detonating the bomb. She said she was seeking medical
treatment inside Israel. Her husband knew nothing of the planned attack. "God
gave me the ability to be a mother of two children who I love so," she
said. "But my wish to meet God in paradise is greater, so I decided
to be a martyr for the sake of my children."
Those are scary thoughts, which speak of the anger, frustration and
failed hope of a generation of Arabs who are manipulated into feeling
this is the only action that can make a difference. To blow up your life
and that of others, is seen as the road to salvation. In today's world,
such actions are the road to perdition, a continuing crisis leading on
to a larger crisis.
By contrast, God's Word, talks about giving one's life for the right
cause, not in murdering innocents. ". . . Though I bestow all my
goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have
not love, it profits me nothing," wrote Paul (1 Corinthians 13:3).
God has given His people understanding of a far nobler and divine purpose
for life. We are to live a godly life today in preparation for eternity
in the Kingdom, or family, of God. We are to treat people with love and
respect. We learn this at our level as part of our training for the role
God is preparing for us (John 14:2). We must live with the vision that
we are preparing for a far larger role than the one we now have.
Sometimes we think that life may have passed us by and we have not really
accomplished much. We compare ourselves to men and women of great accomplishment
by today's standards. But consider those standards for a moment. Politicians
struggle for high office and then work to stay in power. Others climb
the ladders of success, often sacrificing principles and values. Recently
a former top corporate executive confessed to fraud and bargained with
prosecutors to a plea arrangement. His admission of fraud and his testimony
will be used to indict the top two former executives.
Christ commented on this type of "success" when He said you
could gain the world but lose your soul. In the end, if we don't know
why God places us on this earth, then we don't have true success.
Corporate fraud and terrorist bombers are two symptoms of a world adrift
from the foundational cornerstone of Jesus Christ. We wait for Him to
restore the paths of justice that will solve the cause of such extreme
actions. We are called to live today by the laws of the coming Kingdom
of God. When we live our lives and treat others by these eternal principles,
we will meet Christ without any guilt or shame. We will meet our Maker
without any blood on our hands. |
