I remember it so clearly. I was in my office in an old converted barn in Hamburg, PA when I got the call. My wife told me a plane had just flown into the World Trade Center. My mind immediately went to the idea of some poor pilot losing control of his single engine plane. A tragic accident, but easily reparable. My mind could not conceive of the evil that was taking place. I could not imagine a world where someone would use a plane full of people as a cruise missile. It would happen three more times that day and the days that followed were some of the most uncertain I can remember in my 54 years. It was horrible. 17 years later, the memories are still difficult.
Today there will be messages everywhere and they will say “never forget.” This much is clear, I won’t. But yesterday, I saw another meme. A meme of a large gathering of Muslims praying here in the states with a caption saying “never forget.” I don’t think that’s the message we want to send either. Here’s the thing, nothing angers me more than when some high profile Christian has a lapse in judgment, like a moral failure for example, and people want to lump us all into the same category and I’d like to extend the same grace to people of the Muslim faith. The vast majority are not jihadists, and they were no doubt as horrified by the events of 9/11 as the rest of us, maybe even more so, considering the unfair backlash that followed.
I will never forget that day. I couldn’t if I tried and we should remember those who lost their lives that day but rather than anger at the perpetrators, we should honor the memory of the victims by doing something positive. Never forget Jesus commanded us to love our neighbors and even our enemies. Hatred will never be beaten by hatred. Only love can beat hatred. As creative Christians, we need to stay on mission. Our mission is ultimately to spread the Gospel. To spur one another on to love and good deeds. We must take seriously the biblical admonition: Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. (Romans 12:21) We should never forget, but this is the best way to remember.
Do something good today. Honor the memories of those who lost their lives that day. More than that, honor and glorify God today. Use your gifts to spread the Gospel today.
AMOKArts 