On Remembering Whose We Are

I came across this war journalist's site today. On this particular page is a picture that evidently gained some fame when it was posted on Time magazine's website. It is of an American soldier cradling a dying Iraqi girl who had been unfortunate enough to be too near a car bomb. Judging by the size of her body, lying in the soldier's arms, she is not much older than Annie.

Whatever your position on this, or any, war, a few things seem inarguable, at least from a Christian perspective. First, we live in a world that will not know true peace until Christ Jesus comes again. I simply do not know how any other perspective makes sense in a world where a precious little girl must suffer and die in such a way, for such erroneous worldviews. I am ashamed of myself for, from time to time, still viewing Satan as the man in the tight red suit, mischievously, if cartoonishly, holding the pitchfork, rather than the master Deceiver who has duped millions into buying into and killing for false philosophies -- little girls like this deserve far more than that from those who know better.

Second, we are beyond blessed in this country to have men and women who would not only be willing to travel to the trenches, but who would show such composure and class in the midst of desperation. I cannot think of a better example of what it means to be free than what is depicted in that picture.

Lastly, I am reminded, again, as a father, what it means to have children. I have to look at something like this and, somewhat painfully in light of the blessings it holds, acknowledge that this world is not our home. The Lord does give, and the Lord does take away, and every minute I have with my two little girls is simply a gift. If I can raise them to have the same perspective, then I believe I will have done my job as a daddy.