They’ve known war for as long as their history books go back.
Their fathers and grandfathers tell their stories, passed on from the generations. Some of the battles are fresh, shrapnel embedded in doorframes and rubble still in the alleyways.
The children have only known a military of foreign nations that protected them. Girls have been studying, dreaming of careers and freedoms that their mothers and grandmothers never knew. An entire generation has never seen real evil at the gates. Until Today.
The U.S. has long taken the role of the defender of the innocent and the protector of freedom. Founded on biblical principles, throughout history we stood tall among a world bent on destroying itself. It hasn’t been perfect. But it’s been the best of all the imperfection.
Yes, that bedrock principle of righteousness is often twisted and warped because men and women don’t always impress it in their hearts. Power and Profit and Manipulation are the devil’s tools and we have too often used them. Still, we are the beacon of hope and opportunity and freedom for the world.
That is why, as a nation and as a people, we know wrong when we see it. We are aghast when we see evil triumph and our nation boxed out of doing something. We’re not used to losing. We’re not used to humiliation.
Even as the horrors of ISIS rolled through the Middle East just five years ago, righteous people stood at the borders with blankets and food and smiles. And we will do that again, even as we mobilize to do the right thing.
If you know my background, you know I traveled to the Middle East for several weeks and looked at refugees in their eyes. I heard their stories and listened to the horror. You read many of them. But they were full of hope and trust in the Creator and that led to a course correction in my own spirit.
I’m praying that I will have another opportunity in the coming days.
I cannot change the evil in the world. I cannot look at a Taliban soldier in the eye and convert him to the peace of Christ. I cannot cause kingdoms and nations to change their foolish course of action.
But what I can do is pray. And respond. And act. And hopefully, all three.
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