I am currently watching
On Native Soil: The Documentary of the 9/11 Commission Report on msnbc almost in tears viewing the footage and listening to the stories of the tragedy that took place ten years ago today. How could you not be affected by watching such horror occur? I was only 10 years old when the attacks happened and I remember the day vividly. I remember eating breakfast with the TV turned on to some news program (as it was every morning) when all of a sudden dad called mom into the room to watch. She sat down and just started crying. I knew something was wrong when that happened. My parents did the best that they could to explain to their 10 & 8 year old children what was going on in our country, but it was way too much to comprehend. When we got to school our sweet old librarian, Mr. Klock, came around to each classroom to pray and give more of an explanation for what happened. One of the teachers husband is a pilot and was supposed to be flying one of those planes, but his schedule got changed at the last minute. However since he was flying somewhere else, it was still a few hours before she heard from him and we were all praying for that situation too. Even in southern California, my private Christian elementary school could have been directly affected by a terrorist attack in New York City.
In a way, each and every American was affected by the events that took place that day. It makes me so angry watching the security tapes of the airport security people who just let the terrorist through. It is amazing, even now, how much you can get past airport security. (Yet they get angry when I don't take my hand sanitizer and lotion out and place it in a separate bin. Go figure. What about the guy with the knife you just let through?!) Sorry, I shouldn't be ranting about that. My point is, that this tragedy could have been prevented on so many fronts yet what were we doing to stop it? Okay, I don't know what I could have done as a ten year old, but I'm sure there are things that could have been done.
At church this morning my pastor spoke about 9/11 from the "other side." From the side of the middle eastern people. I only got part of the sermon because I was in Kid Town, but one of his points was that it is not fair for us to compare the best of Christians (as we are trying to be) to the worst of Muslims/Jihadists. There are three was we should view Islam- as a people that we need to love, a culture we should seek to understand, and a political force that we must discern and engage.
Seems easy right? Well, watching this documentary makes me so angry at the terrorists who destroyed part of our nation. Didn't they have families? Parents?
Someone who loved them and would miss them too? I don't care about the buildings so much, if you want to crash into an empty building go for it. But NOT with people in it. It breaks my heart thinking of all those who lost someone who they loved.
Jesus calls us to love our enemies, and in theory that seems so easy to do. But what happens when you have a real enemy? Not just someone on the playground who pushes you down, or someone in high school who calls you ugly. But someone who kills your loved ones and destroys part of your country. The only way we can really love that enemy is with the love and mercy of Jesus Christ. The way of Jesus also includes seeking peace. Wow. Jesus, couldn't you have made it a little easier??
My prayer, for all of us in this country, is that we would turn to Jesus and ask him to help us love those enemies and to really forgive them for what they have done. AND to live a life that would point others to Jesus. No way I can do that on my own, only with Jesus Christ can I get anywhere even close.
"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. If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also. If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them. Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. Do to others as you would have them do to you.
If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that. And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full.
But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back.
Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful." Luke 6:27-36
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Three years later, we still miss them, but it's different than it was on that day. Every once in a while I think about how my future husband won't know or understand how wonderful these people were. My children won't know what it's like to be held by their great-grandma or think of their great-grandpa whenever they smell old spice or know the taste of cheese toast made in a toaster oven in Old Tappan.
This September my family will be participating in the Walk to End Alzheimer's in memory of these sweet people. Please consider walking or donating to support families living with Alzheimer's.
