Osama Bin Laden was an evil man.
and now he is dead.
but aren't we all sinners?
Don't we as christians have as our ultimate heroes people like Paul, David, Moses, Thomas, Rahab.
Murderers. Doubters. Prostitutes.
People who once did evil, but were given a chance at redemption.
"As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign LORD, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live. Turn! Turn from your evil ways!" -Ezekiel 33:11b
“Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven." - Luke 6:37
“But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you." - Luke 6:27
Who are we to be glad at death? Is it merely death that we want? I'm not saying we can't be relieved. But there's a difference between relief and joy.
Osama Bin Laden was a little boy scared of the world. a child whose family said "we want nothing to do with you." He lived in fear, he died in fear, hiding from inevitable justice. He was a human being who never got to experience life. Never got to experience forgiveness for his horrible actions. The people who he hurt never got to say "I forgive you" and experience the cleansing and healing that that brings to those who have been crippled by anger.
Let us pray for peace. let us work for peace. let us love our enemies.
