Lately something has been growing on my heart, I don’t feel like we take death seriously. Specifically here I am taking about the taking of someone else’s life. I want to start by saying I believe there is a time for war and there is a time for a person receiving the death penalty. I can’t tell you exactly when is the right time for a life to be taken but what I do know is any time a life is taken it should make us heavy hearted, it should not be done lightly.
I have seen so many post on facebook from good Christian people lately that have really troubled my heart. Talking about the military, and making light of the killing that goes on during war, I have also seen people talk very brashly about the need for someone who has done something wrong to die. I feel we should be very careful not to deal out death too quickly.
Another thing that struck me was a war movie I was watching, during one scene the solders were yelling horrible things about the men they were fighting against, I can’t imagine what it is like to fight in a war so I want to be careful what I say but I know this isn’t right. Even in war, the person on the other side of the gun is another human being and even if we must kill them to defend ourself and others we should do it with a heavy heart.
The bible is clear that we are all created in the image of God, we must remember that it also says we must love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us (Matthew 5:43-45). I don’t believe that this means we can never take a life but it must not be done rashly or taken lightly.
Hey love, good post :o) I have been thinking about this a lot too and have been wanting to say something about it. Like you just did. I also wanted to add, the huge quote that hit me (from The Lord of the Rings) was “Some who live deserve death, some who die deserve life… Who are we to choose.” I agree with what you pointed out in the beginning about the death penalty and war being necessary at times. But as far as how lightly we will watch murders in movies or hear about them on the news and sometimes even be glad someone died, this quote really struck a chord with me. Good post!
Thanks love, that quote from Lord of the Rings really struck me too thanks for posting it.