Suicide Bomber, Terrorist, Boy of Extraordinary Courage
‘Uncle, uncle, uncle…help me!’ are the words cried out by the alleged terrorist Hussain as the 15 year old is carried away by authorities.
‘Iraq stops would-be child bomber for ISIS’ was the headline CNN ran a couple weeks ago.
“The Story the Media Didn’t Show You” was the article that I saw on my social media feed this past week regarding this story. Versions of ‘hidden story the media is keeping from you’ emerge around the internet quite often where we assume that click-bate and pop-up ads wait on the other end.
But I knew a little bit about the organization posting the article so I checked it out. (Please take a minute and read it now. It’s a quick read, with a couple of video clips that will give you a sense of the actual events.)
Do you believe that human beings are created good?
Do you believe that human beings can overcome the hate they have been given?
In the case of Hussain, we see the messy reality for a boy that has been taught to hate, but a heart that wants to be free.
Can you relate? Have you felt that tension in your own heart?
On some level, it’s a battle we all face.
Perhaps we won’t be asked to wear a physical waist belt of destruction, but you can bet that we have felt the pressure to demean the humanity of people in the public spotlight.
You can be sure that a teenager surrounded by their peers feels the pressure to make fun of the person everyone else is…Hoping that by blending in with the wolves attacking someone else, they will somehow protect themselves from danger.
We have been taught to hate certain people. We have been indoctrinated with disgust for others. We have been told they are our enemies.
But when we step past the headlines, we see a person and hear their story.
And suddenly we know that they are not so different from us.
In fact we are connected.
What does courage look like in those situations?
Courage for the person trapped in hate.
Courage to let love overcome fear.
Courage to believe that hope is warranted.
Courage to believe that someone else might see my plight and be able to help.
If they really see me, will I still be accepted? If I run towards hope…leaving behind the wolves of hate I’ve been surrounded by…Will my life be destroyed? Will I still be loved? Can I really be free?
It’s the question that Hussain asked.
Whatever small ray of hope that Hussain felt gave him the courage to stand and be exposed.
Rejecting the mission of evil he’d been charged with, Hussain submitted himself to love.
Oh to have that kind of courage.
(We don’t know what the authorities will do. In times of war and political unrest, transparency is gone and there are many agendas in play. We can pray that Hussain is offered compassion and that his heart will be cared for. You can also follow and help support organizations like the Preemptive Love Coalition who are waging peace against war.)
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I’m asking us to try and let our hearts grow big enough to hold the complications of the world around us. Hearts that break for the evil done by those who believe they are doing good…even hearts that break for people that know they are doing evil. Hearts that, like the parent of a wayward child, are unwilling to stop loving even when behavior isn’t deserving.
May we be people that see the struggle of others around us and have compassion.
May we be people that recognize the bravery on display when someone who believes death is their destiny shows up…doesn’t run and hide, but stands still with their back turned from evil as they surrender themselves with arms spread open to hope.
This is our story too after all.
Today, let’s look a second longer at the people around us.
Consider the battles that may be waging deep inside.
And once we’ve done that…
Let’s offer compassion.
– To the store clerk
– To our spouse
– To our co-worker
– To our neighbor
– To the person of different ethnicity or sexual persuasion
– Yes, even to the political candidate you won’t be voting for
They are our brothers and sisters.
Take courage.
And love.
About Jeff Blackburn
Jeff Blackburn is a Spiritual Coach and passionate Truth-Seeker. An alumnus of Oxford University, Jeff is someone who advocates for Freedom and Fullness of Life for All. He believes Jesus offers good news for people everywhere today…not just eternity. Jeff is the Executive Director of Fearless Questions, Inc. and has spent the past 20 years working with people searching for God.
THANK YOU. I love continuing to read your depth and heart for others.