April 04 2004

His Sun Rises

The recent horrific tragedy in Iraq, where four American security contractors were murdered and mutilated as depraved Iraqis celebrated, as well as the on-going rebellion and mayhem there, at times make me question whether or not the effort that the United States and our allies are putting into that country are worth the trouble. Don't you feel the same way, at least sometimes?

Let me be clear - I've been a staunch supporter of the war in Iraq. I believe it's unquestionably a key battle in the larger War on Terror - one that we must win. If we fail in Iraq, it's all but certain that we will face unceasing and escalating attacks by Islamist extremists whose goals are to destroy us and our way of life. It may take them decades, but there is no doubt about their ultimate aims - the elimination of Western civilization and the establishment of a worldwide Islamic state, devoid of personal and religious freedom. Over the past twenty or so years, they've made that crystal clear, and anyone who discounts or disbelieves that (at best) is simply ignoring both the public statements of the Islamists and the facts of what they've done, most especially the attacks of September 11, 2001.

That said, still, how can we not get discouraged and/or enraged at times over the senselessness of the continued resistance and violence taking place in Iraq? Besides the four security contractors, over the past week many U.S. soldiers and Marines, as well as soldiers of allied countries, have been killed and wounded. A large number of Iraqis have been killed or wounded as well. The radical Shiite cleric, Moqtada al Sadr, is attempting to take advantage of the unrest in Fallujah to further his own political agenda (likely as a puppet of the mullahs in Iran) by fomenting violence and unrest in several other cities in Iraq. The whole situation at times seems hopeless. I just want to throw up my hands in disgust at the Iraqi people, who have been handed - by the U.S. - an opportunity to rebuild their country into the foremost beacon of freedom and opportunity in the Muslim world; yet they seem determined to squander it all and return to lives of misery and hopelessness, no better off than they were under Saddam Hussein.

It comes down to one question - one that we must answer.

Is Iraq worth the price in lives and dollars that we are paying?

Thus far, Iraq has cost us several hundred lives and many billions of dollars - lives ended tragically at too young an age, and billions of dollars that we could have spent for other worthwhile purposes. All of this, to improve the lives and fortunes of a country far from us, in the hope that Iraq will be the seed that plants democracy and freedom throughout the Middle East, leading to a safer and more prosperous world for everyone.

It's a grand (or is it a grandiose?) vision. It's enormously risky, and there is no guarantee that it will succeed, despite evidence that it is already working to some extent. There's significant and persistent opposition, within the U.S. and throughout the world. Why should we pay so much money, endure so much hatred, and give so many lives when it would be so much easier not to?

Blessed are the Peacemakers

Among my favorite verses in the Bible is the Sermon on the Mount as recorded in the book of Matthew, chapters 5 through 7. In my view, those passages spoken by Jesus are at the heart of what being a Christian truly means - how we should comport ourselves, with humility, honor, confidence and holiness. This one sermon from Jesus is truly the basis of much of Christian moral thinking and informs much of Western civilization's moral philosophy.

The Sermon on the Mount begins with a famous passage called The Beatitudes:

"Blessed are the poor in spirit,
       for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn,
       for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek,
       for they will inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
       for they will be filled.
Blessed are the merciful,
       for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart,
       for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers,
       for they will be called sons of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
       for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
"Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

It occurs to me that these wonderful, uplifting words of Jesus apply directly to the situation in which the United States finds itself with Iraq, as our soldiers and Marines are persecuted violently for trying to do what is righteous in Iraq, as they strive to bring peace to that torn country, and as they mourn their friends and comrades-in-arms who are wounded or killed. In all that they do, all that they face, they are blessed. We, as a nation, are also blessed, I believe, because we are striving to bring democracy and freedom to Iraq.

Reaping What We Sow

So, why should we expend precious lives and billions of dollars for Iraq? Is it only for a hope that our efforts will eventually make the world safer, as noble a goal as that is?

No, I don't think it is just for a hope. As Jesus says in the Beatitudes, we are blessed as a nation when we undertake these difficult tasks, and the Bible also says we are given a promise.

If there is any persistent thread of thought throughout the writing I've been doing in this journal, it is this: "Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows...Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people..." [Galatians 6:7, 9, 10]

Let me particularly emphasize this verse: Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

Here are words that we can depend on. I've read many commentaries saying that we must persevere in Iraq, that similar nation-building projects in Japan and Germany after World War Two took years to resolve, that the only way we will lose in Iraq is if we give up. I agree with that, but not just from a political and military standpoint. The Bible says it plainly, "for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." I have confidence, based on what the Bible says, that if we are persistent and do not give up, if we continue to do good in Iraq despite the hardships and enormous cost, we will reap the rewards.

The war we are fighting is not just a war between military forces. We are in a spiritual war between Islamist extremists who preach death and a Western civilization that was founded, in large part, on Christian moral principles. On one side, you have jihadists who would like nothing more than to kill as many Americans as possible. On the other is Christ, who taught this:

You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.'
But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,
that you may be sons of your Father in heaven.
He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good,
and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. [Matthew 5:43-45]

The contrast between the two could not be more plain. Let us continue to sow good in Iraq, to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us, striving to be like Jesus: "With justice he judges and makes war." [Revelation 19:11]

So, even when we are angry and disgusted and would much rather just let Iraq descend into chaos, let's remember that we will, at the proper time, reap a good harvest. It is God's promise to us as a reward for persevering in doing good.

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