Jesus changes everything.

One of the foundations for my world view when it comes to every aspect of life is that
Jesus changes everything.

It’s radical that he would tell people to love their enemies.

27“But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, ²⁸bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. ²⁹ 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. ³⁰Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. ³¹Do to others as you would have them do to you.

³² “If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. ³³ And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that. ³⁴ 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. ³⁵ But love your enemies, do good 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. ³⁶ Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.
{Luke 6:27-36}

I understand, well, that Usama bin Laden is an enemy of America.
But an enemy we are called to love, nonetheless.
I understand that this is unbearably difficult to imagine, and seemingly impossible to live out.
But it is absolutely what we are called to do as followers of Jesus.

In Biblical context, America is not Israel, as we often mistakenly think.
There are instances in the Bible where God chose destruction when His creation was defaulting to destruction.
GOD chose.
In this instance, where America has destroyed Usama bin Laden, we are acting as though we’re God…
Whether you’re celebrating the ‘destruction of evil,’ or vengeance of 9/11, scripture says:

¹⁹ Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord.
{Romans 12:19}