War. Huh. What is it good for?

Shane Claiborne has ruined me. He has shown me, once again, what it means to follow Jesus. What it means to lay down my life for even my enemies. He has shown me out of the Bible what it means to love those who persecute you.

I am no longer supporting war in Iraq. I don't know if I support war, period. I look at WWII and think, yes, maybe there is a time when a nation needs to rise up to stop the mass killing in another. But I just don't see that in Iraq. My respect for our soldiers is greater than ever. I see them, at least, putting themselves in a position to get killed for what they believe. That is more than I can say for myself and most Christians.

What the world really, REALLY needs is Jesus followers. People who are willing to go places and love their enemies. Even unto death. THAT is what changes the world. God, here is my heart. Take it and change me into a willing follower for extreme grace.

What would have happened if, after WWII, America would have risen up and said to Osama Bin Laden- "We hurt tremendously. But we love you. And we forgive you." How would the Arab world have responded? Would Al-Queda have grown? I have a feeling everyone would have been better off. But in the cloud of shock we resorted to "shock and awe". The odd thing is, what TRULY would have shocked and awed the world is exactly what we didn't do. Forgave, as a nation, our enemies. Of course, this cannot happen so easily, because many, no, most people do not follow Jesus. Even myself, in that instance.

God, teach me to love!

I STILL don't believe in the angry protesters that commonly accompany the "Give peace a chance" movement. I don't respect a person who will scream for peace- as long as they are safe and secure.

But Jesus, thankfully, has shown us another way. A way of loving our enemies, while still standing for what is right. The way Shane Claiborne has chosen to follow- traveling to Iraq while we bombed them, and simply loving the people. The way Paul, and James, and all of the New Testament believers chose to follow- loving and honoring their enemies all the way to their deaths.

I think of China. I think of how the protesters are disrupting the torch's march across the world for Tibet (by the way, why don't they mention Darfur??) I saw a picture in the paper with a protestor shouting at a smiling Chinese woman's face. Is THAT really the message you want to portray, dude?? Is THAT how you want fearful China to see you?

I want China to see something else. I want it to see people who are asking it, humbly, for peace in places like Darfur. Who is seeing signs that instead of saying "No Blood for Oil" say, "We Love You, China, But Please Help Darfur!"

It's funny. The Romans never wanted to kill Jesus. Usually it's the religious "devout" in one way or another, be it the Catholic church or Islaam extremists.

I'm starting to ramble now, but I think the time is now. The time for the new Ghandi, the new MLK Junior, the time for the Christian who wants to look like Jesus. Only I hope that this movement is not marked by a current human leader. But by a group of people so affected by grace and so in love with Jesus that they cry out for even their enemies and fulfill, truly, once and for all Jesus words, "They will know you by your love." God, let it start with me!!!!