Mark Conner Personal Development

Some Productivity Insights

Images (1) A recent article in the Harvard Business Review (May 2011) unpacked the idea of Being More Productive.They interviewed two leading experts, David Allen and Tony Schwartz, to discuss whether the secret to effectiveness is the right system or the right state of mind. Here are a few of their insights:

From David Allen, best-selling author of Getting Things Done:

  • Your head is for having ideas, not holding them. Dumping everything out into a list can have a significant effect. Uncover the strategic value of clear space.
  • Achieve freedom by taking immediate, concrete steps: down-load all your commitments and projects into lists, focus on "next actions," and think about the context in which the work needs to be done (office, phone or computer). You don't need to change who you are. You just need some simply but very powerful techniques. 
  • Think about things once. Capture, clarify, organise and build in a regular review system that you trust. 
  • Only do one thing at a time. Multi-tasking is over-rated and ineffective. 

From Tony Schwartz, best-selling author of The Power of Full Engagement:

  • Effectiveness is about managing energy more skilfully in order to get more work done in less time. That requires a new way of working – one that balances periods of high focus and intermittent renewal. 
  • Consider your energy levels in four areas: physical, emotional mental and spiritual. Develop a life rhythm of spending energy then renewing it. Work intensely for 90 minutes then have a break to recover. 
  • Create positive rituals or deliberate practices that will help you break out of your bad habits and addictions. 
  • Leaders need to be the "Chief Energy Officer" of their work team. Mobilise, focus, direct, inspire and regularly recharge those who you lead. Do your best to ensure that your people have full tanks of energy. 
  • Do your most important task first thing in the morning, when you are most rested and least distracted. 

How's your productivity? What could you do or change to be more effective beginning today?

For further thoughts on this and related topics, see these previous BLOG posts: Time Management, Time Traps, Organise, Simplify and How to Say No Without Feeling Guilty.

Mark Conner Personal Development

Renewing Your Energy

Fuel At our staff prayer meeting last week, I shared a few thoughts about ENERGY.

In Psalm 23, we learn that God desires to "renew our strength" or "restore our soul." 

Energy is one of our most valuable resources (not just 'time'). When someone brings 'energy' to a meeting, appointment or interaction, what does it look like? We agreed that it includes creativity, enthusiasm, attentiveness, focus, ideas and future movement. When someone lacks 'energy' it shows through things such as apathy, tiredness, and disinterest.

Energy is a resource that needs constant renewing, due to continual depletion, just like petrol in our cars. We need to create a balance of activity and rest in our lives and ministries.

How do you renew your energy? What things help you to refuel? Make sure that you engage in these on a regular basis so that you can bring all the energy you need to your ministry times.

Energy renewal is not automatic nor does it always involve a supernatural 'zap.' We benefit tremendously from engaging in regular habits of energy renewal (such as prayer, the Scriptures, solitude, fun, laughter, sleep, recreation, exercise, etc) and sometimes we simply have to choose to BE energetic, with feelings often following our choices.

I trust you have an enjoyable and energetic day!

Mark Conner General Interest, Personal Development

Remember Your Death

Steve Jobs The following is a transcript of part of a speech by Steve Jobs at the Stanford University Commencement in 2005 (click here for the full text). As Moses said, may God teach us to number our days rightly so we may present to him a heart of wisdom (Ps.90:12).

Steve Jobs

When I was 17, I read a quote that went something like: "If you live each day as if it was your last, someday you'll most certainly be right." It made an impression on me, and since then, I have looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself: "If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?" And whenever the answer has been "No" for too many days in a row, I know I need to change something.

Remembering that I'll be dead soon is the most important tool I've ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life. Because almost everything–all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure – these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important. Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart.

About a year ago I was diagnosed with cancer … The doctors told me this was almost certainly a type of cancer that is incurable, and that I should expect to live no longer than three to six months … Later that evening I had a biopsy … I was sedated, but my wife, who was there, told me that when they viewed the cells under a microscope the doctors started crying because it turned out to be a very rare form of pancreatic cancer that is curable with surgery. I had the surgery and I'm fine now.

This was the closest I've been to facing death, and I hope it's the closest I get for a few more decades. Having lived through it, I can now say this to you with a bit more certainty than when death was a useful but purely intellectual concept: No one wants to die.

Even people who want to go to heaven don't want to die to get there. And yet death is the destination we all share. No one has ever escaped it. And that is as it should be, because Death is very likely the single best invention of Life. It is Life's change agent. It clears out the old to make way for the new. Right now the new is you, but someday not too long from now, you will gradually become the old and be cleared away.

Sorry to be so dramatic, but it is quite true. Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life …

Mark Conner Theology

How will it all END (Pt.6)?

End world How should we then LIVE?

We should live “ready” for Christ to come at any moment (Lk.21:34-36) but “working diligently” as if he may not come back in our lifetime. We should avoid extremes (over-preoccupation with a sneaky rapture vs. trying to create heaven here on earth).

To quote Tony Campolo, “Any theology that does not live with a sense of the immediate return of Christ is a theology that takes the edge off the urgency of faith. But any theology that does not cause us to live as though the world will be here for thousands of years is a theology that leads us into social irresponsibility.”

1. Live with full devotion to the Lord. Be prayerful and watchful. Love him with all your heart and develop a close relationship with him. Many “nominal” believers will be shocked on that day (Mt.7:21-23). Don’t be caught without “oil” (Mt.25:1-13). Be spiritually awake, refusing to allow lethargy or apathy into your heart (Mk.13:32-37. Rom.13:11-12. 1 Thess.5:1-10).

2. Live your life in light of eternity. What we do in time echoes through eternity. We have only one life to life. This is not a dress rehearsal or a practice run. This is the real thing so give it all you’ve got. Run to win! Use your gifts, talents and abilities for the benefit of others (Mt.25:14-30. 2 Cor.5:10-11. 1 Cor.3:1-15). We will be rewarded for faithfulness with what we have been given, not because of the gifts we received or the positions we held. “Live and do” not “do and live”. Because in Christ “you are” loved and forgiven, do good works, but not “in order to” be loved and forgiven.

3. Live with an evangelistic edge. Make heaven’s priority yours. Be stirred to a spirit of evangelism. Build relationships, take risks, look for opportunities, share your faith and invite people to church and to Christ. Hell was not designed for people.

Life is short, live wisely! Know God’s will, seize every opportunity and invest your time in things that count for eternity (Eph.5:15-17).

Mark Conner Theology

How will it all END (Pt.5)?

End world Things to Occur AFTER the Second Coming

1. Judgement and reward for believers. There are two judgements – one for believers, the judgement seat of Christ, which is not about salvation but about reward for the “good works” we have done (2 Cor.5:10).

[One area of debate amongst end time theologians is when the ‘millennium’ spoken about in Rev.20:1-6 will be. The ‘millennium’ is a 1000 year period where believers will rule and reign with Christ on the earth as a reward for their faithfulness. Some people believe we are in the millennium now and therefore that it occurs before the second coming (post-millennialists). Some people believe that it does not refer to a literal period of time but rather is symbolic of the entire period between the first and second comings of Christ (a-millennialists). Still others believe it will occur after the second coming (pre-millennialists). The challenge for all interpreters is that Rev.20 is the only explicit reference of the millennium in the NT and there is no mention of the relation of the second coming to the millennium in the actual text (whether it is before or after). Personally, I don’t think we’re in it now (you call this rest?). I tend to think it will be after the second coming but even that view has some challenges. So, this is not a subject anyone can be dogmatic about because there are too many unknowns]

2. Judgement of the devil. The devil will be judged and cast into a lake of fire for eternity. See Rev.20:10. This judgment has been a long time coming being prophesied about in Gen.3:15 and initially enacted by the work of Jesus on the cross and his subsequent resurrection.

3. Eternity in either heaven or hell (based on our choices in life). There will be a judgment for unbelievers, the great white throne judgement where the book of life will be opened. Those who names are not in the book of life will be cast into a lake of fire (Rev.20:11-15) where the devil and his angels are. The ungodly will spend eternity in hell with the devil.

The godly, those who have accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour, will live forever in heaven with the Lord (Rev.21:27). Heaven will be a place like nothing we have ever experienced – more wonderful than we could ever think or imagine.

God’s heart is that no one ‘perish’ but that all have an opportunity to receive forgiveness and eternal life (2 Pet.3:9). Hell was made for the devil not for people. God does not wish anyone to end up in hell, that’s why he sent his Son.

4. The creation of a new heavens and a new earth. See 2 Peter 3:1-13. Rev.21.

Click here for part 6.

Mark Conner Theology

How will it all END (Pt.4)?

End world Things to occur AT the second coming

1. The appearance of Jesus in glory. Jesus’ return will be with “a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God” (1 Thess.4:13-18). He will return in great glory, the glory of his Father (Mt.16:27; 19:28; 25:31). The angelic hosts will accompany him. Every eye will see him (Rev.1:7). Revelation 19:11-16 gives us a vivid picture of Jesus riding on a white horse – eyes blazing with fire, a two edged sword coming out of his mouth, his robe dipped in blood and the armies of heaven riding with him.

2. The destruction of the wicked. Those who have rejected Jesus will be shocked at his coming and will seek to run from his presence (Jude 14-15 and Rev.1:7). These are those who don't acknowledge God and who refuse to accept the gospel of Jesus Christ. They will be destroyed with the ‘brightness of his coming’. The second coming will be one of judgement on the wicked, not of mercy any more. Jesus will return in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God and refused to obey the gospel. The ungodly will be destroyed with the brightness of his coming (2 Thess.1:7-10). They will be punished and banished from God’s presence (2 Thess.1:7-10; 2:3-12).

3. The resurrection of the righteous – all believers who have died “in faith” will have their bodies resurrected and will live forever with a glorified body (1 Thess.4:13-18. 1 Cor.15:51-57. Heb.9:28. Phil.3:20-21). In that sense Jesus is coming ‘with’ his saints. This refers to all of the righteous believers who have died in faith since time began – there spirits are in heaven right now but they are waiting in expectation for the resurrection and glorification of their bodies.

4. The ‘rapture’ of remaining believers – Jesus will return for (those who are “alive and remain” and escape death) and with his saints (those who “died in faith”). See 1 Thess.4:16-17. In this sense, Jesus is coming ‘for’ his saints – those who are alive and remain on the earth when he returns. There is a generation that will never die! Jesus will come in their generation whole they are still alive. Many have hoped to be a part of that company and we do too!

What a day that will be! It will be more dramatic, more explosive and more exciting than any movie you have ever seen! The second coming is a great source of comfort and of hope for us as believers. There is coming a time when pain, crying and suffering will be gone. We will be reunited with our loved ones who have died and gone to heaven.

Click here for part 5.

Mark Conner Theology

How will it all END (Pt.3)?

End world An Order of End Time Events

Without being dogmatic in any way, here is what I see happening BEFORE the second coming of Jesus.

NEGATIVE things to occur:

1. Increasing spiritual darkness (Is.60:1-3). Jesus told us that the last days just prior to his coming will be similar to the days of Noah and the days of Lot (Lk.17:20-37). He said that there would be great deception (Mt.24. 1 Tim.4:1) with many false prophets and false “Christ’s” appearing (Mt.24:5, 11, 23-26. 2 Thess.2:1-12. Rev.13). We are told of a great “apostasy” or “falling away” of many from their faith in Jesus Christ (2 Thess.2:1-3. Mt.24:12. Heb.6:3-8).

2. Great Tribulation (times of ‘pressure’). There will be a time of great tribulation (Mt.24) and “perilous times” (2 Tim.3:1-7). Wars, diseases and earthquakes will increase (Mt.24:6-7. Rev.6:1-17). There will be times of intense persecution of believers (Mt.24:9-10, 21).

3. The revelation of the Antichrist. The title ‘antichrist’ refers to someone who is ‘against Christ’ or who sets themselves up ‘instead of’ or in competition with Christ. Jesus himself predicted the appearance of “false Christ’s” (Mt.24:5). There is a ‘spirit of antichrist’ at work in the world (1 Jn.4:3). The apostle John tells that there will be ‘many antichrists’ in the last day (1 Jn.2:18). There also seems to be strong indication that there will be one very strong individual Antichrist (‘the’ Antichrist) who will be revealed in the last days before Jesus returns (see 2 Thess.2:1-12). The Antichrist will be revealed and will set up his kingdom for a time (Dan.2, 7, 11. Rev.13; 19:11-21). Satan knows that his time is short and in the last days he will throw everything he can against God and his work on earth.

4. God’s judgements will be revealed (Rev.14:7; 16:7). There will be a “time of vengeance” (Is.61 and Lk.4). These judgements are outlined under the seven seals, the seven trumpets and the seven bowls (“vials”) of wrath to be poured out on the earth (Rev.6-16).

POSITIVE things to occur:

Continue reading “How will it all END (Pt.3)?” →

Mark Conner Theology

How will it all END (Pt.2)?

End world The Bible and the End Times

There are a number of books and passages in the Bible that deal specifically with the ‘time of the end’ and the second coming of Jesus. Obviously, the book of Revelation would be the primary source of information concerning the end times. It is a fascinating apocalyptic book with much prophetic symbolism in it that makes it somewhat difficult to interpret.

Over the years there has been a variety of approaches to interpreting the book of Revelation. There are three broad categories of how people have interpreted this book through the centuries:

1. The Preterist (‘past’) View – this view understands the events of Revelation as having been fulfilled in large parts in the first centuries of the Christian era. In effect the book was written to comfort Christians, who suffered persecution from Rome and also from Judaism. Revelation’s fulfilment is all in the past. We don’t need to be looking for anything happening today that corresponds to its prophecies.

This view has a lot of merit. The book of Revelation was written to real people and real churches in the first century and it had specific relevance to what they were going through. It meant something to them and they would have been able to gain understanding about the times they were living in and to draw comfort and hope from it. In fact, the arguments for a direct correlation between some of the prophetic pictures in revelation and to events in the first century are quite convincing. However, in addition to this, like all books of the Bible, I believe that Revelation also speaks to believers in other generations and times of history. We must not limit its meaning and application to the first century. In fact, like all prophecy, there are often layers of application to people in different times and circumstances without taking away the direct significance to the first hearers.

2. The Historicist View (‘literal’) – this view sees the events of Revelation as unfolding throughout the course of history. Another variation of this view it what is referred to as a ‘Futurist View’, which argues that the events spoken about in Revelation (particularly chapters 4-22) await the end times for their historical fulfilment.

This view also has some real merit. There is a lot of prophetic symbolism in Revelation that paints pictures of spiritual activity in the heavenlies that can’t be fully understand in human or historical terms. However, to limit the entire book to only spiritual matters without any direct correspondence to events on earth would seem an inadequate approach to me.

3. The Idealist View (‘figurative’ or ‘spiritual’) – this view is reluctant to pinpoint the symbolism of revelation historically with any specific social or political events. Rather it sees Revelation as setting forth timeless truths concerning the battle between good and evil that continues throughout the church age. The challenge is to be faithful to Christ and expectant of a victorious future not to seek any literal or chronological interpretation.

This view also has some real merit. There is a lot of prophetic symbolism in Revelation that paints pictures of spiritual activity in the heavenlies that can’t be fully understand in human or historical terms. However, to limit the entire book to only spiritual matters without any direct correspondence to events on earth would seem an inadequate approach to me.

Each one of these views has strengths and weaknesses. The best approach, from my perspective, involves a combination of these views, realising that prophetic literature often has a present, past and future dimension to it. 

Click here for Part 3.

Mark Conner Theology

How will it all END? (Pt.1)

End world

Today is supposed to be the end of the world (read here) … but I don't think so. Times like this are a good time to re-post a series of articles on how it will all end …

End Time Fever

The first words that Jesus preached were, “Repent for the kingdom of God is near” (Mt.4:17). After the resurrection and at the end of Jesus’ ministry on earth, he ascended up to heaven. As he did, two angels appeared and boldly proclaimed, “Why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven (Acts 1:10-11).” The last recorded words of the ascended Jesus are in the book of Revelation. They were to the church and he said, “Yes, I am coming soon! (Rev.22:7, 12, 20)”

Ever since that time people have looked for and anticipated the second coming of Jesus and the end of the world. This began with the New Testament believers and has continued right through history up to today. The topic of the ‘end of the world’ has been one of interest to humans since time began but it has intensified in recent years. The recent release of the doomsday movie 2012, is an example of this. It is important that each one of us as Christians has a clear understanding of the end times so that we are not swayed by various trends or world events.

Observations about the Second Coming:


Continue reading “How will it all END? (Pt.1)” →

Mark Conner Books

Which book would you want if you were shipwrecked on an island?

Unknown If you were stranded on a remote desert island somewhere and could only have ONE book with you, what would it be?

G. K. Chesterton, the famous British writer, was once invited to a meeting of the leading intellectuals in England. They were asked if they were shipwrecked on an island, what would be the one book they would want to have with them. Everyone expected Chesterton, a prominent Christian, to say “the Bible.” When it came his turn to speak, however, Chesterton said that if he were shipwrecked on a desert island, he’d like to have “Thomas’s Guide to Practical Shipbuilding.”

Now there is an intelligent Christian!

Chuck Colson wrote about this recently and highlights the fact that we need to look at and engage with life holistically, not just spiritually. Food for thought. 

The Bible is of utmost important but we don't want to be like the Pharisees who knew the Scriptures so well but missed Jesus (John 5:39-40) … and God's will for us is revealed in many ways, including through people, creation, wisdom and life experience. 

Mark Conner Spirituality

God’s Longing …

Here are some interesting thoughts from Psalm 81:10-16 (NLT).

"Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it with good things. But no, my people wouldn’t listen. Israel did not want me around. So I let them follow their own stubborn desires, living according to their own ideas. Oh, that my people would listen to me! Oh, that Israel would follow me, walking in my paths! How quickly I would then subdue their enemies! How soon my hands would be upon their foes! Those who hate the LORD would cringe before him; they would be doomed forever. But I would feed you with the finest wheat. I would satisfy you with wild honey from the rock.”

Lessons:

1. God wants to fill us with good things (described as 'the finest wheat' and 'wild honey') BUT we have to open our mouth wide. We have to prepare and expect good from Him.

2. Do we take time to listen to God? If not, we give the message to Him that we don’t want Him around.

3. God responds to our disinterest by leaving us to our own desires and ideas. He never forces himself on us.

4. IF only we would listen to God and follow His paths, we would feel His support and favor tangibly on all we do. Progress would be made much more quickly. He will jump to our assistance.

God longs for us to walk each day in close relationship with Him, sharing our life journey with Him as a partnership. What a offer!

Mark Conner Leadership

Leading Servants

Here is a well-known teaching from Jesus …

Then (the disciples) began to argue among themselves about who would be the greatest among them. Jesus told them, “In this world the kings and great men lord it over their people, yet they are called ‘friends of the people.’ But among you it will be different. Those who are the greatest among you should take the lowest rank, and the leader should be like a servant. Who is more important, the one who sits at the table or the one who serves? The one who sits at the table, of course. But not here! For I am among you as one who serves. [Luke 22:24-27. NLT] 

Jesus was radically different than the spirit of the age. He was not a leader who happened to serve others occasionally. He was a servant who happened to lead and influence others. His motivation was always for others – for His Father's glory and for the ultimate good of those he led. How different from those who lead for personal benefit – position, title, benefits, applause or self-esteem. 

It's a good practice to frequently ask ourselves 'why' we do what we do. What are our motives and what drives us? Is it all about us – or all about God and others? People soon pick this up one way or another. 

Could it be that those who follow us at one time or another ask the question, “Are you for me, against me, or for yourself?” Click here to read more about this insightful question.

Leadership expert, Max DePree once said, "The first responsibility of a leader is to define reality. The last is to say thank you. In between the two, the leader must become a servant and a debtor."

Seek to lead and influence others today for their benefit and for God's purpose in the world … 

Mark Conner Religion, Theology

C.S. Lewis – Objection #11: Christ

Images-26 Finally, C.S. Lewis had to come to grips with answering the common question: "Isn't Jesus just another good, moral teacher?" 

Since there is little likelihood that Jesus' claim to deity is legend or myth, we should expect to find something in his words and actions that suggest he thought of himself as divine. Jesus' self-perception as God is clearly seen in the various Gospel accounts.

Jesus claimed to be God:

  • He believed he had the power to perform miracles and cast out demons (Matt. 11:2-5. Luke 11:20).
  • Jesus claimed to determine people's eternal destiny (Luke 12:8-9).
  • Jesus placed his personal authority over the Law of God (Matt. 5). 
  • In Mark 2:5-7, Jesus shows he believed he had the power to forgive sins. The scribes reacted by saying, "Who can forgive sins but God alone?"
  • The most explicit claims to deity are found in John's gospel where Jesus claims, "I and the Father are one" (John 10:30), and "Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father" (John 14:9). There is no reason to hold that these passages are merely the result of the over-developed imagination of John, since Jesus' self-conception as God is already evident in the earlier three gospels.

Was this True or False?

Liar or Lunatic?

Since Jesus claimed to be God, his claims are either true or false.

If false, he either knew it was false or he didn’t.

If false, he must have been a liar, deliberately misleading the multitudes.

Or, he was a lunatic, sincerely believing himself to be God, when in reality He was just a man. This is kind of like me thinking I’m Bill Gates or someone!

Jesus' brilliant moral character and his willingness to die for his claim to be God have convinced most people that he was not lying. Jesus' humility, warmth and unselfish love, his quick and skillful thinking in dealing with his opponents, his intelligent communication with the multitudes, and his amazing self-control and composure in the midst of the tremendous physical and emotional stress of his betrayal and crucifixion, all point to his contact with reality. Jesus was no lunatic.

Lord

If Jesus was not a legend and he claimed to be God, then, as we've said, his claim is either true or false. If it is false, he must have been a liar or a lunatic. Since the evidence shows he is neither a liar nor a lunatic, then the only other alternative left is that his claim is true. Jesus is Lord and God. That affects everything!

[Summarised from Chapter 14 of Art Lindsley's book C.S. Lewis' Case for Christ]

Mark Conner Religion, Theology

C.S. Lewis – Objection #10: Other Religions

Images-27 C.S. Lewis also grappled with the validity of other religions – There are so many religions, how can you say which one is right? Are all religions really the same, or is there a difference? How can we say which one, if any, is the right one?

Lewis felt it was atheism that wrote off all religious claims as false, while he was free to affirm truth wherever it was found. He accepted truths in other religions. He recognised the similarities – as well as the significant differences between religions. A commitment to Christ does not necessitate the denial of truth in other religions. 

When it came to other religions, Lewis was an inclusivist - he believed that the only way to be saved is through Christ, but a person does not necessarily need a conscious knowledge of Christ in order to be saved. In one letter, Lewis wrote, “I think that every prayer which is sincerely made even to a false god […] is accepted by the true God and that Christ saves many who do not think they know Him” (Letters 247). See also the use of the character Tash in Lewis' book The Last Battle.

In contrast, an exclusivist believes that Christ is the only way to be saved and that a person needs a conscious knowledge of Christ. Although Lewis was an inclusivist, he was not a universalist who believes that everybody is ultimately saved. [I will comment more on this topic when I review Rob Bell's new book Love Wins in the next few weeks]

What makes Christianity unique is the incarnation – God entered a specific historical place and time in Jesus Christ. This utterly unique – and is either true or false. 

In his book God in the Dock, Lewis is quoted as saying, "If you had gone to Buddha and asked him 'Are you the son of Brahma?' he would have said, 'My son, you are still in the vale of illusion.' If you had gone to Socrates and asked, 'Are you Zeus?' he would have laughed at you. If you had gone to Mohammad and asked, 'Are you Allah?' he would first have rent his clothes then cut your head off. If you had asked Confucius, 'Are you Heaven?' I think he would have probably replied, 'Remarks which are not in accordance with nature are in bad taste.' The idea of a great moral teacher saying what Christ said is out of the question. In my opinion, the only person who can say that sort of thing is either God or a complete lunatic suffering from that form of delusion which undermines the whole mind of man."

Lewis cleverly showed that Jesus Christ's claims to be God make him either a liar, a lunatic or Lord of all. There is no other viable option. 

[Summarised from Chapter 12 of Art Lindsley's C.S. Lewis' Case for Christ]

Next: C.S. Lewis and the person of Christ.

Mark Conner Current Affairs

The Death of Osama bin Laden

Images-31 The biggest breaking news of this week has been the killing of Osama bin Laden, the self-confessed orchestrator of the September 11th terrorist attacks on the USA. The execution was carried out by a US Navy SEAL team and watched by a American national security team, including President Obama, via video.This has been the culmination of a 10-year military project of tracking down this terrorist leader.

Response to this news had been wide and varied … jubilation, relief, sorrow, as well as fear of increased in terrorism.

Here are a few quotes:

  • “I think we can agree this is a good day for America. Our country has kept its commitment to see that justice is done. The world is safer, it is a better place because of the death of Osama bin Laden.” American President Obama
  • “I just pray that however I’m supposed to feel, I’ll eventually feel. if God wants to forgive him, that’s God. I can’t.” Barbara Minerving – lifelong Catholic whose husband was killed in the Sept.11 attacks.
  • “I’m happy they got him. But there’s always going to be another one right behind him.” Walter Hillegass, a plumber who cleaned the dust-choked World trade Center site for days after the attacks.
  • “This is the fate that evil killers deserve.” Saad Hariri – Prime Minister of Lebanon. 
  • “It took 919,967 deaths to kill that one guy. It cost us (USA) roughly $1,188,263,000,000 to kill that guy. But we are winning though. Haaa. (sacrcasm). Chris Douglas-Roberts on Twitter.
  • “Woe to his enemies. By God we will avenge the killing of the Sheik of Islam. Those who wish that jihad had weakened, I tell them: let us wait a little bit.” Assad al-Jihad2
  • “We shall retaliate against the Americans, Israel and Europe, and Christians in Somalia with destructive explosions.” al-Shabab, Somalia’s most dangerous militant group.
  • “Joyfully celebrating the killing of a killer who joyfully celebrated killing carries an irony that I hope will not be lost on us. Are we learning anything, or simply spinning harder in the cycle of revenge?” Brian McClaren
  • One journalist notes how this killing does nothing much to help those who are grieving the loss of loved ones. 
How should a follower of Christ respond to news such as this? Many Christians aren’t sure (click here for recent article on this).

On the one hand, justice is important and it is appropriate for governments to protect people from evil-doers, such as terrorists (Rom.13:1-5). On the other hand, we should never rejoice over the death of anyone, including the wicked. Ezekiel says it well …

“As surely as I live, says the Sovereign Lord, I take no pleasure in the death of wicked people. I only want them to turn from their wicked ways so they can live.” Ezek.33:11.

As Christ-followers, we are also called to love and pray for our enemies, to turn the other cheek and to seek to overcome evil with good. Violence only begets violence. We are called to be peace-makers. Love alone has power over all.

What has been your response? What does it say about you? What does it say about your view of God? These are important questions, as an event such as this can become a metaphor revealing for our view of life and God.